Happily ever after?
by The wander
Summary: Future fic, Xander looking for peace finds it for a whileComplete
1. Chapter 1

Title: Happily ever after?

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: No pairing as of yet, but will be a F/x

Rating: R to NC17

Summary: Years after Sunnydale died Xander got married.

Marriage not what is all cracked up to be. Was all Xander could think about. It had been 12 years. 12- long years since Sunnydale fell down went boom. He had been around the world and finally came back to the USA. When he got around to LA, to see Ayna's Lawyer. She had amassed very large nest egg before she had died, and left it to Xander with the terms that he got out of Slaying a settle down. He was now ready to do that. But he had a surprise there too. Was a letter from a woman he had not thought about in a long time. Misty, She had worked with him at Lady's Night and had gotten to be really good friends, with the benefits. It seems that she was dying and wanted Xander to know something. And for him to come to Parkerville to find out, she had thought it would be wrong to tell him in a letter. So off he went, one of his girls needed him. He had been on the run from the council for few months at the time. Well run was a big word, could be the wrong word. He just didn't want them to find him, he wanted to rest. He had stopped being their errand boy years ago. And went to find himself. Now he was just tired, still had not found himself. He was still looking for a place to call home.

Parkerville was a small town in Mississippi. He felt a peace there. It was one of those small towns that you expect to see Andy and Barney walking down the main street, and Aunt Bea to have a hot apple pie ready for you at the end of the day. He had decided to stay for a while after he had seen Misty. She was a dancer when he had known her, but here she just worked in a bar, Joe's, with her Husband. Well at lest until she died. He had arrived one month late. Cancer. She didn't leave a note for him or anything. She had thought that he didn't care when she died. So why write something down for someone that's not coming?

He had met Mistys Husband. She had not told him anything about Xander, only that he was a nice guy she worked with in California. After he left the bar he stopped at a dinner. There a goddess was working. For Xander it was love at first sight, for her not some much, but he won her over.

Janet, thought he was different for the men in the town. More so than she knew at the time. The Eye patch was just the start. And the scars on his body from his work, he wouldn't say much to anyone about what he did but kind of told them that he worked in out of the way places, they thought he was a construction worker of some kind he had shown the skills there while working on his home.

A home he bought only to find out Joe was living next door with he young Daughter, Amy. She was 16 and took after her mother. Dark hair and eyes. With a grin that was just off center. She and Xander became fast friends. She would come over with her friends and use his Pool, in return she would get his grass cut and if she could find anyone to do it she would do it her self. She also became the only one to enter his shed. It had at one time been a black smith shop, now it was much more. Xander would build weapons there. A sword, a shield, what ever took his fancy at that time. He was by no means a master crafter but he would fill his times with his hobby. He even build a black power rifle, and no one asked him why it had a cross carved into the stock or why. It had a cross bow mounded under it with wooden arrows. It was just some of the things that Xander just did. To the town he just had strange ways, like never inviting anyone into his home after dark, he would just step aside. Or that some nights he would be found walking in the graveyard down the street from his home. People would just look at him and say he's from California, as if that explained it all.

Thou the people in town would wounder about the scars he had, where he got them and how, no one would crass enough to ask him, like most Mississippi town people believed in minding you own business, at least until it got gossip worthy.

Old Mike who ran the local gas station said that some of the scars were from knife fights, and some were from claws, he had seen both types when he was in Vietnam. But most would just overlook what he said, he told everyone that demons are real and sometimes would stop and get gas late at night. And would tip him in Kittens. Who would believe anything he said?

After a while Xander got a job in a local hardware store. But he didn't do it for the money. He had plenty of that, he never bragged about it, but if he needed something he got it. If someone he knew needed something it would show up. No explanations, no questions. He would pull a who me look if anyone asked him about it.

Slowly over a year he got Janet to marry him. He was happy, she was too after a fashion. But she was bored, not that Xander didn't please her, he did. He was every thing she could want, but the town, Parkerville. Was too small, all the people knew her, she could not go out without someone stopping her to talk about this or that, about her new hair style, anything. Then there was Xanders past, he would just disappear, while sitting in found of you, when that came up. Then soon he would find his way to his shed out back. And either sit and drink a beer or would work on something. She knew that was his place, he had sat it aside for him and one of the bed rooms for her. It was places were spouses were not allowed. A get away place. She didn't use hers much, but he would go into his on certain days each year. With no explanations she would have to either deal with it or have go for a drive, there was no talking about it.

That's when John started to show up. Xander never really noticed it at first. Janet hated John with a passion, at first. Xander and John had been friends almost as soon as he arrived into the small town. They played ball in the park a talked about the world, both had been over seas. John worked for an Oil company and worked in there fields and on some rigs around the world. They both had been to some of the same countries. Over the years. And would talk about the places and people.

Some lazy afternoons Amy would show up with her friends, they would sit around an talk fashion, boys and anything else. They even would talk about Movies that Xander liked. Amy had became is little Sister, maybe even his daughter too. She shocked at first when she had found out that Xander could talk about anything the girls want to talk about. When she asked him why that was he told her that he had lived was as meany as 50 girls at one time, nothing she said would shock him or that he had not heard before. She took it as a challenge and would go out her way to try in gross him out only to have the tables turn on her time and time again. Amy's friends got used to it fast but still didn't know what to make of the time Amy started in on Female Hygiene, and have Xander talk about it with her like it was nothing. No way was he going let her win something like this, and no way was she going to let him win either.

Xander one day cut a work day short and headed over to the next town, he had bought a ring there and had it resized for Janet. It was ready today. He took off to get it. It was a short ride there. And Picking up the ring went easy. After that his world started to come apart. He had stopped at a light when he noticed a girl at the bus station. She was looking at him hard. Like she knew him and couldn't place him. She only had his profile. But when he turned to look at her she saw his Eye patch. And he saw her eyes. He knew her. She was one of the New Slayers. He had met her in England. And she knew him. He floored the truck as she started toward him. She Had almost caught him before he got to the end of the block. Man, that girl could run fast. He thought as he cut down a little side road and then another until he was sure she was far behind him.

In Cleveland, a phone had run a few hours later. Who then called another number.

"He was seen." She knew that both would know who He was.

"Were?" It had been a long time since anyone had seen him.

"In Mississippi."

"Was it a reliable witness?"

"A roving Slayer." A Slayer with no home base, and no Watcher. Just someone looking for any trouble and stopping it or calling in the big guns. They were few of them, and they all answered to her. " She got a lead on him. Shouldn't be more than few more days."

"Just let me know. I call Willow."

"Ok, B take care."

"You too, Faith."

Mississippi

Xander drove home. Nothing else on his mind at the time. Just they almost got him. He spent a lot of time running from them. Now they were almost here. But he couldn't run this time. He had a wife. He could run out on her. He had a home, finally a home, and then there was little sister, Amy. She had became a big part of his life without him even noticing. Janet and Xander only been married two years. And running was not an option. It wasn't like the other times. He could leave then because there was nothing really holding him, but here he had what he had always wanted. And it was going to let it be taken away from him. He just new if they found him he would be back into the Slaying soon enough, he couldn't not help. And then the girls would be stopping by at all hours. He couldn't tell Janet about it she just wouldn't understand.

He had took off from the Council after a years of grunt work for them. He had taken care of the Slayers in the field. Doing what was needed, as Giles had for them. Killing things that couldn't talking about the ones that they could. Then he had faded away from them. No one really noticed he was gone for a while. He had moved on, to other jobs. He worked as a Mercenary for a while, for both Human and the Nicer Demons races. The ran drugs to underground Hospitals in China that took care of Demon and non-humans. He even was made a member of a Were-Bear Clan in Alaska. He travel and learned. Then one day he woke up tired of it all. So he came back to the USA. And found a home. Some place he could rest even some friends. He and John played ball and talked. Xander finally had a friend that wasn't tied into the night life and was male. The closest he had had in years.

Pulling up to his Home. He saw Johns truck in the drive.

What? Xander thought. John knows I don't get off til 3, and its only 11.

Xander Knew that Janet didn't get along with John. So John would not have just dropped by.

As he walked to the house, he pulled the ring out of his pocket. He was going to have a witness to getting the ring, he had planned on just the two of them, and after that some snuggles, and kisses. Well he could always run John off.

He open the door. No one was around. He heard some noise coming from the back rooms. The bed room...

Please Xander prayed not what I think. As he felt his stomach drop.

He stopped at the door. And listen. It was what he thought. The Moans and groans and gasps. It was exactly what he though it was. He stood there. A few years ago he would have walked in and killed them both. The rage was still there but he suddenly just tired all over again, his home was gone, And he just wanted to go. It was just to much right know. With the Slayer that saw him and now this. He need time to think. He turned and left. Not noticing the dropped ring box and note.

He walked out the door and didn't stop til he was a Joe's Bar. Outside was lined up with Bikes. Every year, they would travel through here to some blow out or another across the country. As he walked in, it was wall to wall bikers. Most bikers were just your average people. Doctors lawyers, what have you. But along the back wall were the Hard core bikers. The ones that just lived to ride, no home just the bike. Xander had tried that for a few months. But didn't like it. It was fun. But not what he wanted. He had thought he had found it. But it seems he was wrong.

Joe was behind the bar. He saw something was off about Xander as he walked in. But didn't pay it no mind, the bar was packed and he didn't have time just now. Maybe later. He looked over at Amy she worked here on the Busy days. She was underage, but no one would say anything, She was a good kid and he did need the help.

Amy could tell something was up, and thought she knew what. She had Seen Johns truck around Xanders home more and more, and on the times that she knew Xander wasn't home. She had wanted to tell someone. But how do say something like that to an adult, and what if she had been wrong? He might not ever talk to her again. And that was something she never wanted to happen. He was too nice and every since Tommy and her and went all the way. Before he decided that she was not good enough for him. And Xander talked to her about and didn't say anything to her dad.

Xander sat at the bar. And started to drink. Then he started to talk. To anyone and everyone. He even talked to his beer a few times. Then after an hour. He looked over at the hard core group. He need cut lose. It had been a long time. And the Hyena wanted to play. It was always harder to control when he drank, and right know he didn't want to control it at all.

Everyone in Sunnydale had thought the hyena had left him. But it didn't. Did they thing some high School kids and a Librarian could force something that had been worshiped as a god to do anything? It had stuck around. And help Xander out while watching him. Then made him a Avatar of a sort. He had the power and could call on it any time. But he had no control over it. He could kill anyone when he went over. Now he just didn't give a damn. He just looked at the biggest of the bikers and got in his face. Not really noticing how they drew back when his eye flashed green.

Meanwhile

Janet and John just lay in bed after a great time, John could not believe his luck. Here was this beautiful woman and all she wanted was sex with him. He often wondered about Xander did he know. John didn't think so. And felt a little twinge of guilt, but the sex was to good to stop. As for Janet it was fun and that's why, she had picked John because she didn't like him, so she could do things with him that she would never ask or want Xander to do to her. And it was a thrill to be doing this with John and then later with Xander, giving sloppy seconds and he didn't even know it. It was petty and small of her, but he wouldn't move out Parkerville, if she suffered so did he, he just didn't know it yet. And he might never know. She did love Xander, she didn't like living in this town, and she never had to worry about falling in love with John, he was an ass. Had a big dick but was an ass. And she was in love with Xander, but he held her in this small town and cut her out of his life some much, she couldn't even say were in California were he was born. So she did this revenge on him even thought she loved him, and would never leave him.

They got up and cleaned up the room. The same room that Xander and Janet slept. And had sex in. It made Janet feel just a little be slutty, which was part of the reason to do it here. And later when Xander got off. She would nail him to the bed. She knew sooner or later she or John would get tired of this and then she would be come a married woman loyal to Xander with great memories of what she had done.

Opening the bed room door. She saw the ring box. And note. John was still cleaning up and getting dressed she picked it up. She felt her hart beat faster. Opening the note. It was from Xander. It was slightly crumpled. As if a hand had held it tightly.

" To my loving and loyal wife.

Know that I love you."

What have I done? it hit her, he loved her and would do anything for her. And she had been doing this behind his back. Got to find him explain.

Just then, the Phone ran. It was Joe, she needed to get down to his bar now. Xander had started a fight and cops were on the way. Between the bikers and Xander they were trying to see who could do the most damage. And that she needed to get there as soon as she could.

Outside John was looking to see that he was blocked in by Xanders truck and was looking around for him. Janet didn't say one word, just climbed into Xanders Truck and pulled out heading for Joe's.

When she got there. There were three cop cars in front. All empty, and the parking lot was too. Just a few bikes up close to the bar. And Joe was laid out on the ground. Were he had been thrown out the window of the bar.

" O, God!" Janet said as she left the truck. Running for the bar if anything had happen to Xander she would never forgive herself.

Inside the bar dark. The jukebox playing one track over and over again. There bodies allover the floor. She could see Amy sitting at the bar looking at shadow in the corner of the bar. All around that shadow were bodies. They were still breathing so she knew they weren't dead. Then a flare of light as a cigaret flared to life she could see his face. Xanders face in that light. He was watching her. Amy was too. If anything she felt embarrassed by that look. Amy knew what she had done to this good man.

Xander looked her up and down. He could still hear her moans. The bouncing of the bed. His Bed as John had drove into her. His Eye just went blanker than they already were.

" I want a divorce." He told her then picked up a bottle of whisky he was drinking and walked out of the bar. She then noticed the three city cops laid out on the floor to.

Amy just shook her head and followed Xander out of the bar. Outside he was helping Joe back to his feet. And told him he would replace all the damages that his fight had started. And if the cops still wanted him he would be at his house. He hadn't hit the cops the bikers had but he didn't know if they would still come after him. He day couldn't get any worse. He would just wait for the Council to send someone. And he would do that at his home. Alone.

The next few day in Parkerville came and went. The big news was that Janet had left Xander. Every just knew it was because he got drunk and started the fight. The only time Xander was seen was when he was seen buying a new mattress And then a case of whiskey.

The court let Xander go on the assault on a police officer. He had to pay for damages. And a fine but that was it. He had not hit them. The bikers he fought, that was another matter. Two were wanted for rape and assault with a deadly weapon.

The only people in town that knew what really was going on were not talking about it. John had only seen Xander one time. Xander walked up to a shacking John. And Asked him, "I thought you were my friend?" Then turned a left. To Janet he didn't say anything. When she came to get her clothes and things he walked out of the house and into his Shed. She went to talk to him. Only to find Amy standing in her way. Who cut into her with both barrels. She yelled screamed and just plain cussed her out. All the things Xander wouldn't do. Janet just stood there, she deserved it all. But she wanted to try to talk to Xander. To Explain.

She finally got to see him. He was standing outside what was their home, She drove up. He was turning to go in when she called out and stopped him. She could see the rage in his eyes. She talked then begged for him to listen. Still not saying a thing, he just stood there. She tried to explain. But the words only came out wrong. It was nothing. Just skin. Those words had haunted him for a long time. When she had said that she knew it was the wrong thing. Xander eye just lost all emotion. Just a dark orb looking at her like it could see her sole. And didn't like what it saw.

After the day of bar fight, every one in Parkerville Looked at Xander funny. Everyone heard about the bar, but not what had cause him to do it. And Xander didn't tell them. Janet had moved out, and got her a small Apartment near her job, of John he just stayed away from Xander and though in weeks time he would be able to have his friend back, it was just pussy, guys don't let that get between them,. John had thought it was just a thing with Xanders wife, he had did it before. And no one was ever hurt by it, well yeah some marriages ended. But that because they were ending any way. Right? But when he came around Xander just looked at him, then a growled at him, it was almost like a wild dog was in front of him, that was the last time he came by. They did see each other on the streets, but both just turned and walked the other way.

That first day he came across Xander. He thought he was dead. But Xander just looked at him and asked that question "I thought you were my friend?", then turn walked away. That was it. Not I' ll kill you, not punch, not a thing. It hit him how much he had hurt the man he call a friend. And he really couldn't look at himself in the mirror, that was when he decided to leave.

Soon Xander lost his job. He just stopped coming to work. He still show up at the bars. And drink with the boy's, but never to get drunk. When asked he said he was thinking. About what he wouldn't say.

A week later Janet would see him around town. She would go up to him to him, to talk, explain anything. He would never say a word just look at her. Then turn an walk away.

Then the divorce papers had shown at her door step. She didn't know what to do. She really believed at the time, that she had done no wrong. That it was nothing. After the divorce papers were delivered. She went to see him at what was at one time their home.

Xanders day just kept getting worse and worse. First he had been fired. Not that he needed the job, he had fun there. But it was one more tie to the town that was cut. Now he only had Amy. And she had become his personal stalker. Everywhere he went there, she was. Even in the bars he had gone into, and that was the only reason he had left them. He didn't want her to get hurt. He had watched her grown from a teenager to a young lady. And there was no way he wanted her to get hurt because of him. And just following him around was getting her in trouble, she would tell her Dad, that she was with friends only to be following him. Her Father didn't want her to have anything to do with Xander. Not that he blamed him in the least bit. But she wouldn't leave him alone. He couldn't even pick up a woman with her following him. She would just show up and looking at him with the puppy eyes until he left.

As he pulled into his drive way there was something in his spot. It was a Bike, a Very big bike. A custom job at that. Sitting in his front yard. Painted on the Gas Tank was "Got to have Faith".

Yep, He thought this day gets worse and worse.

Pulling his truck all the way up to the house. He noticed his fence in open as he pulled out his case of beer. It would last him a few days. But drinking at home was better than drinking at the bars, no puppy dog eyes.

"Back yard." he said to himself, while wondering how many Slayers are around. He knew that Buffy and Willow was looking for him. He had no ideal that Faith had joined in on the hunt. Or why. Why would they hunt him down? It's not like he was that powerful, he was just a little sneaker than them and had gotten whole lot more meaner.

Pushing open his gate all the way. He saw something that brought him to a complete stand still. Faith in a String bikini. She was laid out on one of his yard chairs in the middle of his yard. She had on Sunglasses that were so dark he could see her eyes. But knew that she was watching him.

"Got ya Boy - Toy." she said in her husky voice. Man he thought she could give great phone sex.

"Don't seem to be running Faith."

"Not from me you wont.." Faith said looking over her sunglasses, "You don't want to know what I would do to you when I caught ya. And anyway I have always known were you where."

"Somehow I doubt that." Xander said a little worry in his voice.

"Yep, Wood kept up with you. You could do a lot of Damage to the council. So he kept an eye on you."

"Then why didn't your boy toy tell Buffy and Willow were I was?"

"You walked away," Faith looking him in the eyes a little hurt there, " I told him to let you. You need space to find yourself. I thought you would be back."

Xander sat beside her he remembered his last time with Faith. They were in a Bar in some two-bit town in South america. She was dealing with Angel dying. He was dealing with it too. Just not like her. On one side he was glad that Angelus would never come back, but sad that Angel died. And that he was not there. He had made that promise to Angelus a long time ago. That he would be there when he was dusted. He had missed it. Faith was messed up because, Angel was the first person that could reach her. And other than Xander who she almost killed at the time. Xander could not reach because she couldn't believe that someone would want to reach her. And it took a hell of a lot to make her believe that he could. The night in South America was the last step for her. She knew how he felt about Angel and he sat there and listen to her go on about him. Xander had even told her some of the good things about Angel that she didn't know.

"Thanks."

"So do you want to stay are you need help moving before red and B get here?' Looking him over her sunglasses again be pushing them back in place like the anser didn't matter to her at all. But inside it did, she hated to admit it by she missed him. He was one of the few in the Council that never looked down on her.

"Why help me?" Looking at her. Pulling a beer out of the case he had, it was warm but it was beer and he had the feeling he would need it.

"Because you tried to help me. So I'm returning the favor."

"I didn't help you, remember you almost killed me." Then to a swallow of the warm beer, one of us needs to be more drunk to make since of this conversation. And he didn't think it would be Faith so he started on his.

"Hey, I didn't try, if I wanted you dead you'd be dead, I was trying to scare you off."

"Your hands on my neck tell a different story." Xander said looking at her he wanted to believe that she wouldn't want to hurt him but back then who knew. Then he emptied his beer and reached for another one.

"Here," Faith said as she reached down beside her opening a cooler that sat on the other side of her chair, "My beers cold."

"What you give me a beer and its all better?"

"Nope, just the first step," She said setting back looking up into the sky, "the next one is that I know just about every thing about you. And you had my back when Angel died, it's the least I can do for a friend. "

"Huh, friend ," He puffed , "And just what do you know about me?"

"Well, Wood kept track of you for a year or so, til it looked like you weren't coming back. The he cut you loose, then she started to tell him in detail of his life in that time. Were he went who he talked to. Who he helped and who he fought. After a while Xander begun to wonder if he was every really alone.

And then Wood cut you loose, she explained who she paid a group of Wizards to keep up with you. And Block and other tracking spells."

"I had always wondered why Willow never found me."

"You aura is mixed up with someone else that she really doesn't like."

"What did Wood say about this? I mean if he cut me loose, then his girl friend keeps up with me."

"Not his girlfriend at the time. We broke up a little while before then. Just couldn't make it, he wanted me to settle down, but wasn't ready then. I might be soon. But not then."

"So what have you been up to lately?" Xander tried not to pay attions to the feeling he felt when he heard about the break up between them, he had just broken up with his wife, and it brought out all kinds of feelings in him. Plus they way she moved and looked in the tiny bikini, let him know he was still alive at least, and still lust.

As the two talk in the back of the house. Unknown to them Amy sat in a tree watching them. Getting ready to go help her friend if he needed it. And to run the skank out of there if she got too friendly with him.

"Well, I have just been traveling around. Looking for ass to kick. Not much. And you? How's the wife?" Faith asked as soon as it was out of her mouth she knew it was the wrong question to ask. Xander just seemed to fold in on himself.

"What happened X?" Faith asked, she noticed something move in a tree at the fence line of the house. The slayer part started to watch the movement, to make sure it wasn't a danger. She could make out a girl, watching them. And from the look on her face wasn't happy about Faith being here.

"I walked in on her and my best friend." Xander told the dark slayer as he looked at the water in the pool.

"Walked in?", Faith though she knew what he meant but wanted to be sure.

"They were banging away in the bed room," He paused look Faith in the eyes.

"Shit," Faith said, she had really hoped Xan had made it, the only one of the Scoobys to have a life outside of Slaying. And at the same time she was kind of happy about the break up.

"She told me it was just skin." Xander whispered to her.

"Oh, Fuck." Then before she knew what she was doing she pulled him into a hug. Xander stiffen up at first then seemed to just melt into her arms. It was the first time in a long time that he had felt safe, protected. Janet had hugged him, but he never felt safe, he always was the protector. Tears came to his eyes. And he just let loose, something he had not been able to do with anyone. Now he was able to do it with Faith. If anyone had told him that he would have called them a lyer. Faith didn't hold people to make them safe, she made them hurt.

"That's it let it all out." Faith whispered to Xander as she ran a hand up and down his back. Here her friend, the first one she could remember, that never wanted anything but to help her was hurting and she was going to be there for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Marriage part 2

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: Yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters: Xander and Faith

Rating: Pg 13 to R

Summary: Xander found out about his cheating wife, Faith shows up to help.

Warnings: Bad words and sexual talk

Notes: you can find more of my stories at http/ had been a month, Janet had just gone through the motions. She didn't believe that Xander would go through with it, he would calm down soon and take her back. All she wanted was a chance to make it up to him. She would do whatever he wanted. She had though up these scenarios where Xander would take her back but then he would punish her for what she had done. Those had given her these pleasurable shivers.

But then she got the phone call. Mark Johnson, he was a lawyer in town just about the only one in 12 miles. He had over seen the reading of her fathers will a few years ago. He had received a package for her. When she opened it, in Mark's office, she found out what is was divorce papers.

All she needed to was to sign her name and she would be divorced. She sat back in shock. This couldn't be happening. Xander was to forgive her. She was his, and he was hers they had said it enough of the last few years. Now that was all gone. She felt a darkness grow inside of her. A pit that seemed to suck the very heat from her bones. He was gone.

"Janet," Mark asked, "Just who in the hell is your husband?"

"Huh?" She was not really paying attention what Mr. Johnson was saying. But the Xanders name snapped her back.

"He has Dragun and Son's as his Lawyer, that piece of paper there couldn't have been done for less than 10,000 dollars." Mark sat back watching the soon to be ex Mrs. Harris.

"He has money." Janet told her lawyer, "I don't know how much, I never saw all his bank books. There in account all over the place from what I have seen."

When she said those magic words a lawyer, money, and her husband had a lot. He might be a small town lawyer, but he was still a lawyer, and if he could skin some rick out of town drunk, that starts bar fights, Well that just a plus.

"Janet, I am going to have an investigator look into his past and to see what he is up to. There is just something off about him. He wants to give you $20,000 up front and $1,200 a month. That just a little to much for some that's out of work and with any fighting. Would that be alright?"

"Yea, sure." Janet almost whispered. Xander really wants to leave me. I didn't do anything really wrong! It was just sex! Janet though, Well, I'll just go see him and make him understand.

With that she said her goodbyes to the Lawyer and was out the door. And headed to Xanders. No their home.

London

They would meet in locked rooms. No one else would be allowed in, and the subject of these top secret meetings.

Gossip.

They would talk about who was seeing who or what going on with the others. And the subject of this meeting was Faith.

"She got a new love bunny." Willow said,

"How do you know?" her blond friend said. Taking a sip of the tea. Tea had snuck up on them both, they had been cola girls for a long time, but finally some of Giles had rubbed off on them now if he could just get them to stop calling him G or G-man.

"Well she went to Mississippi to look for Xander, she didnt find him, but she did stay there, and now she moving there."

"Yes, so she moving, that doesnt mean she got a boyfriend there."

"She didnt tell Wood."

"Oh," Buffy sat back, "She moving there and not telling her ex?"

"Yep."

"Still that doesn't mean that she has a lover there."

"Well you know how all the Slayers phones have GPS on them?"

Buffy just nodded her head. She didn't like a phone that did that. She would get call's to come to meeting. And couldn't lie about were she was. One time she had just gotten this sexy of dress, it would have knocked out the Immortals eyes. When she got a call that she was missing a meeting. She told Giles that she was tracking a demon in the down town area. Only to have him ask her how could she be tracking a demon from a dress shop two blocks away from the main Offices.

Stupid phones.

"Well, she never calls from her home, and anyone calls her she never answers for at least 20 minutes, enough time to get out of her home and drive out of the city limits." The Red head told her friend.

"Still..." Buffy hedged.

"There is more." Willow paused. "I tried to use a tracking spell, and it won't work, most of the time."

"What do you mean most of the time?"

Willow pause she really didn't like when her magic failed her.

"There is some one there that we can't track, and when she is with them I cant find her either."

A thought hit Buffy. Hey, she may be blonde but it does happen.

"Willow, you said there was someone there we can't track?" To which the witch nodded her head, "And we sent her there to find some that can't be tracked?"

Willows head jerked up.

"That lying bitch." Willow eyes took a distinct dark turn.

"When are we going?" Buffy asked

"We can't right now. The world ends in three days, and we need to be there. But after that Mississippi here we come, if nothing else we'll kick little Ms. Faiths ass then."

Janet pulled up in front of her old home. Xanders truck was in the front yard and a moving truck was backed up the drive. Beside the trucks stood two motorcycles, on a black custom job and the other a worn road bike.

What the hell? Janet thought as she got out of her little car.What's Xanders old bike doing out, he knows I don't like him riding it.

As she got closer to the house it looked like someone was moving in. The back door was open, and she could see Xander from it walking around the kitchen. He was wearing his sleeping pants. Some cut off sweats really and nothing else. He looks like he had just gotten up. He was fixing breakfast. That much she could tell.

"Hey Xand." Janet began.

He turned to look at her.

"What do you want Janet?" Xander looked at her, his voice was calm and cold. But his eyes were alive with fire, the hate coming off him in waves.

"I got your papers this morning." Janet looked at him, "I don't want a divorce."

"Well too bad your getting one."

Faith had just woken up in Xanders big bed. She felt around for and he was gone. Sitting up she thought about last night. They had been drinking, he was crying on her shoulder about what had happened between him and Janet. The next thing they new they were in bed, watching TV. He was in his sleep pants, her in a thong and too tight t-shirt. They had just laded there and watched some show on discovery channel on how vampires are not real. It was fun pointing out what they got wrong and what they got right. Both had fallen asleep in each others arms. Faith liked it. If when she was with Wood they had never did that, they might have after a hard night. But never just laded there in each others arms and went to sleep. She knew she had it bad. She had started to fall for the guy back in that little dive of a bar after Angel had died. She had watched him travel the world, getting report here and there, sometimes from Slayers that didn't even know who he was. He had changed a lot over the years, and sunk into some dark places but always pulled himself out of them. A few times he had gotten out just in time, and few she thought she would have to go get him.

Then he disappeared, she was lost and thought he had died. The a little bird told her he was in Mississippi, here she had been looking for him all over the world and he was just around the corner from her. Then the bomb had hit he was married. So she sat back and watched him again. He looked happy she made sure no vamps were around, she would drive though once or twice a year. And clear out any in the area. But when The Council had once again found him. She knew she needed to act. And then help him and his wife anyway she could, only he didn't have a wife anymore. That opened some doors she thought were closed, and thou she really didn't really know how to open them. But Faith new that given time, she would find a key.

Hearing his voice, she got up and walked out of the bed room, not really thinking of how it would look. Hell, she was good looking why hide it and maybe it would help find that key she was looking for.

In the kitchen Janet was about to say more when this stunning woman walked out of the back of the house. Wearing only a G-string and T-shirt that was so tight she might as well not have it on. Janet just stood there, then exploded.

"What the hell is that slut doing in my house?" She screamed at Xander, Faith stopped as she was walking in. She had been called worse and by better people than this skank. She was going to yell something back. But stopped to watch Xander almost explode.

"She is not a slut, a slut sleeps around on their husbands, a slut throws out their wedding vows. Faith is not a slut, she is an old friend, and you can leave." You could almost see sparks fly off of home as he started to move. She'd called Faith a slut. That was rich. Faith was a friend. Someone I could cry on their shoulders when no else would let me. One that had cried on my should when her life had fallen apart. Friends, It held a new meaning between them, in the short time they were closer now than he and Willow had been, and she had never tried to push him out and made it a point for him to understand she would be there for him. And she had been.

Faith for her part felt her feeling for Xander grow in leaps and bounds. He had stood up for her, no one had really done that not even Wood. Wood was the peace maker of the new Council, and being that you couldn't take sides. Always the middle ground. Never on her side.

Janet just looked at him, then the tears came. Faith watched Xander, his greatest weakness was a woman in tears. She almost expected him to just walk over and hug her. But he just stood there and looked at Janet. He didn't move one muscle. His eyes never thawed out she had seen vampires with more warmth in them.

Janet looked at him. "I love you, Xander. Please give me another chance." She begged him.

"Nope, no chance you lost that when you fucked John. You gave up a lot for that bit of fun. So get the fuck out and don't come back, only my friends are welcome here!" Xander screamed at her. Faith stood there watching the exchange.

"What you want to get back fucking that slut!" Janet yelled back at him.

"Janet just because you broke or wedding vows doesn't mean I will! Till I am divorced, I will keep it in my pants, Like you should have, now get our or I will call the cops. And you call Faith anything other that by her name I will kick you ass, do you understand she has nothing to do with us, You broke us up, not her she is here for me and will stay as long as she wants. Now get the hell out of here." Xander just looked at her then walked to the phone and picked it up, "Are you leaving or am I calling the cops?"

Janet just turned an fled. The door just bounced back in forth in wind as she had fled the house. She would have him back, she just needed to get rid of the slut.

Faith just looked at him, right then and there she felt it, love. She wanted him and would get him.

"Thanks" she whispered to him.

"What?" Xander asked looking down at the dark slayer.

"No ones ever defend me before." She said with a simple kiss on his cheek.

Just then her phone ran, and a text message blinking from Willow.

It was short and to the point.

(We know.)

Janet sat in her car. Tears running down her face. If that bitch hadn't been there, she would have had him. He could never turn her down. And she hadn't done anything wrong. He was just as guilty as she was, no one walks around like that unless she had done something are going to do something. And the Bitch was after her man.

It would take a while, she would fight the divorce and have her man back. No one takes anything from her. No one.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Happily ever after? 3

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters: F/x

Rating: Pg13- R

Summary: The Divorce moves on and trouble head to parkerville

Warnings: Language and Bad things happing.

Notes: you can find most of my stories at http/ 3

It had been two days since the ex had shown up at Xander's door. Now everywhere Faith had been in town there, she was. Just shopping, just getting gas. And if she had to buy tampons as many times as she had been in the last two days she was going to bleed to death Faith thought as she stood in line at the local Stop&Go. Janet was standing three people behind her with another box of tampons. She had only picked up three today alone. Faith grinned to herself and reached over to the last minute rack and picked up a box of condoms. She had started picking up condoms the second time she had seen Janet with Tampons.

As Faith payed for her beer and condoms. She smiled at the teenager behind the counter.

"Someone's getting lucky tonight." Then looking over her shoulder at Janet, "I wonder who it will be?" Then she laughed and walked out of the store.

As she walked out, she heard the teenager whisper, "Wish it was me."

And she could almost hear Janet grinding her teeth.

Faith wished that the bitch would just get it over with. She knew a slap down was coming and just wanted it to happen and be over. She hated the wait and see game, especially with the slapee right in front of her.

She pulled up into the drive way of her new home. Home, that was a word she had never used about a place she was staying. The places she usually lived were just a place to keep the wind off of her. Now she had a home. And a friend that would have her back, no matter what. And she knew that she needed that right now. Because any day now Red and B were going to show and she so wasn't looking forward to that. She had hid their Xander away, not that their Xander wanted to be found. As she climbed out of Xan's pick-up truck. She saw Amy walking up the drive.

Now Faith and Amy didn't get along at all. Nothing about why was personal. But Amy didn't think Faith was good enough to stay with Xan and was just using him, keeping him drunk so he wouldn't know what was going on, until Faith had emptied out all of Xanders money then taken off.

"Hey short stuff." Faith said as she stepped in front of Amy. "Your pop know you're here?"

Amy's dad had told her in no uncertain terms, to stay away from Xander. He had seen what Xander had done to his bar and then with all the drinking and dive hopping, he didn't think it was any place for a teenage girl. And Faith agreed, she had been that teenage girl at one time and knew what could happen. And this girl meant too much to Xander to let that happen.

"Yes, he knows I'm here." Amy said looking down. Any where but at Faith. That Skank just came out of no where and moved in with Xander she knew she was up to something.

"Don't you go lying to me, Missy." Faith said, there was one thing you could say about Amy, she couldn't lie to save her soul. It was nice to meet people like that once in a while, and loyal too. Not many people would go against family to see some as messed up as Xander was right now. And messed up he was, he had not had a sober day for as long as she had been here. She had tried to talk to him, but it was like talking to a brick wall. So she tried to control the drinking. If he was going to drink, she made sure he was here. And only kept so much in the house so he never got to drunk, but he always found a way to get more. She knew what she was doing wasn't going to work in the long run, but she didn't know what else to do about it.

"I just want to check up on him." Amy sounded like someone had kicked her puppy. Xander was her best friend and wanted to make sure he was ok and the skank hadn't hurt him. Then Amy noticed the skank had brought another case of Beer in. She had to get Xander away from her.

"Short stuff." Faith began, "You going against you pop for Xander shows your loyalty. But your going to X in more trouble, you think for one second that your dad wouldn't call the cops? And with as messed up Xan is right know there is no telling how he would react."

"I'm just worried about him, I miss him we used to talk all the time. Now I cant even see him." Tears were in Amy's eyes, "I didn't do anything wrong. Why am I being punished?"

"You're not," Faith drew in a breath and let out slowly. "But Xan's not good company right now. I'll watch out for him."

Amy just nodded her head and walked slowly away, she would never hurt Xan he was her best friend.

"How are you watching him," Amy said looking at the beer and the condoms sitting right in top of them. " What are you after? His money? What?"

"His friendship," Faith said , "I want to get the man he used to be back. And I will do anything I need to to make sure it happens."

Amy just nodded her head, "If you hurt him, I'll kill you." and with that she turned an walked back down the driveway.

Faith stood there and watched Amy. She would have to do something. Amy was a good kid and she knew that it would help Xander to have someone around that liked and trusted him, someone that he trusted. She wasn't sure that Xander trusted her yet. He would get these looks sometimes. Like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. That's not going to happen. He was too nice for her to hurt.

"If I hurt you want have to kill me, I'll already be dead." Faith whispered and walked into the house.

Joe's Bar

Faith walked in and looked around. The place was full. Most of the male's there turned to look at her. She didn't look around at them just headed straight for the bar. She was alone. She had told Xander that she needed to go to the store, once she left she had to remember to pick something up on the way back. But she needed to talk to Joe about Amy.

"Hey Joe, What you'd know?" Faith began as Joe walked up to her, He had seen her around town with Xander but she had never been introduced to him.

"You have any ideal how meany times I have heard that?" Joe said back in his gruff voice.

"Nope," Faiths said with a grin, "And don't really care. I am here to talk about your squirt and Xander."

Joe's face closed up on that.

"There is nothing to talk about," Joe looking her up and down, "He's damn dangerous. He got drunk and about took this place apart, and has stayed drunk ever since."

"Mans, got his reasons." Faith said looking around the bar, she had heard stories about that night, and knew that Xander had taken it easy on the locals.

"I know but til he straightens out I can take a chance. I got too much to loose."

Faith looked over the guy, then shook her head.

"Wish I had a pop like you, but you got to understand, she is going to go see him. There is nothing you can say or do, she loves the guy. And not it the jail-bait way. She want's to help him and knowing Xander he needs it. He needs someone there for him that he can protect."

"How about you," Joe said, "Can't he protect you?"

"No one protects me," Faith grinned at the bar keeper, "I protect them, Xander knows that and wont believe I need help."

"Still my daughter," Joe was hesitant about letting his little girl around problems like Xander was attracting right know.

"You got to understand she loves you, but you got to start with the trust. She's a good girl from what I have seen and she would be good for Xander." Faith really didn't like to push things like this but it was for Xan.

"I'll think about it." Joe said. And it was all Faith could hope for. Maybe it'll be ok.

Xanders work shop

As soon as Faith had left. Xander had come out here to work. He had some plans in his mind to work on. He had a weapon to build this one too be used not just a toy like most of his others.

He had just heated up his forge and getting the steel ready. When he felt someone in the shop with him. He could explain it. It was just a presence there. It was familiar. He kept working but never moved out of range of a weapon. Then a voice a voice he hadn't heard in a long time.

"Hello, dweeb."

"Cordy?" Xander turned to see Cordy Chase leaning against one of his work tables.

"Yep, the one and only." Cordy smiled at him.

"What's with the visit?" Xander asked. He knew she was dead but if you have half of what he had over the last 18 years, you knew anything could and does happen. And if this was the first or something, it really couldn't do much to him.

"I have been watching you," Cordy said as she stood and walked toward him. "And it time someone kicked you in the ass."

"Not really feeling the love here." Xander said smiling at his one time girlfriend.

"This is called tuff love Xan. You need to drop the bottle and get back to living."

"Easy for you to say. You're dead." XAnder snarled back at her, "I'll stop with the booze when I feel like it."

"Xan," The one time seer said, "You start the day with a beer and then start to really drink. I don't want you to end up like your dad."

"Leave him out of this!" Xander turned around picked up a steel blank and put in the fire. "I am nothing like him."

"I know," Cordy whispered to him, "But you could end up like him."

"Not going to happen." Xander watched as the steel heated up in his forge. "I'll stop after my life straightens out."

"Soon, some one close to you is going to need you. She about to loose someone really important to her." Cordy said with a sad voice.

"Who?" If one of his friend needed him, he was going to be there.

"Your daughter."

Faith sat back in the bar. She had finished her talk with Joe and was letting him think it over. She was making a mental list of things she would need to get on the way home.

Well, thinking about it wont get it done. She thought dropped a five dollar bill on the bar got up to leave.

Walking past one of the tables. A hand reached out an grabbed her thigh. Stopping her. She hadn't sensed a vampire or any other supernatural creature so she didn't break it. But it was a close call. She didn't want anyone to touch her unless she wanted them to and this time there was only one person she wanted to be touched by and this jerk wasn't him.

"Yo, you want to remove that hand?" Faith asked looking the drunk. There was a table full. Good old boy's. Those hard-working guys that always seemed to be in places like this, and no where else.

"Sweet cheeks." The guy drunkenly started, "Why don't you join us?"

"Don't have the time for this shit." She started to move away.

"I don't know who that limp dick Harris gets you babes. But that wimp can't be that good in the sack."

"Wimp?" Faith said just a bit of an edge to her voice.

"Yes, old Johnny boy there," He said pointing to the guy sitting across from him, "Banged his old lady in his on bed, and the asshole just ran away and got in a bottle."

"Stud," Faith said as her eyes narrowed down, "X might be a lot of thing but he ant no wimp. And old Johnny there better hope that Xand doesn't hold a grudge."

"And why is that sweet stuff." He said with a leer, he was licking his lips. And just watching her chest.

God, I hate drunks. She thought.

"Stud," Faith said snapping her fingers. "You guys don't know X. Do you even know what he did before coming here?"

The Drunks just looked at each other.

"Who the hell cares?" One said.

"The guy takes this place apart. And you guys think he's a wimp?" John was looking a little more worried he never thought about that. Hell he really never thought about anything other than the next piece of tail heading his way. And this one liked ripe. It was easy enough to get Janet this one should be a breeze.

"That was those biker guys." Another drunk was saying.

"Wrong there." Faith felt like she was betraying Xander a little. He had kept what he had done to himself. But these guys calling Xander a wimp just galled her. He had done more than anyone else in this place he deserved respect.

"Sit back and let me tell you a story."

And of course she cleaned it up for the red necks here. She had the report from a scrying spell on Xander. But what really happened was. Changing the facts so they would believe it, but she would never forget the tale she was told.

Flash Back

South Africa seven years ago.

Xander ran thought the African outback. He moved at steady lop. He was getting close. The murder was only a few hours ahead of him. Soon he would have the bastard.

Just a few days ago. Xander was happily having dinner with a Zulu prince. His 5 year old daughter was sitting with them. They had met a few years earlier and Xander had been adopted into the royale family then, one of the few whites to have that honor. He had saved the princess from a pride of were-lions. He came across the slaughtered caravan of cars. All of her bodyguards had been killed and she was next. And without a though Xander had charged in running over a few of the were-pride with his landrover. Then Shooting one with his rifle. It didn't have Silver bullets with it, but anything that could stand up to a .600 express would have eaten him anyway. After running off the Were-lions. He pick up the scared toddler and took her home. It took a lot of fast talking on his part for them to believe he had nothing to do with what had happened. But in the end it had all worked out.

But as soon as the meal had finished a group of men came in and started shooting. It seemed that the Princes brother was tired of being second in line for the throne and was about to make a big step up. He had hit squad's kill his father and they were moving in on his older and younger brothers. But they didn't take in consideration about a lone man. Xander.

When they knocked down the door, Xander pushed the prince down just as gun fire ripped his chair to kindling. He didn't even think about his little princess, to his internal shame. She wasn't a threat to anyone. Only monsters kill their young. He turned just in time to see the bullets rip into the little girl's chest.

And for the first time in a long time Xander lost it. He didn't have any weapons on him, no one was allowed into the royal apartments with them only the most trusted guards. But on the walls were the heredity weapons of the Zulu warriors. Of the likes of Shaka. He pulled down the Cowhide shield and the broad bladed stabbing spear. The hyena channeling into his being giving the ancient weapons their power back. Shield started to deflect bullets and the blade cutting through anything. He carved his way through the attackers. Not feeling any of the damage done to him. By the end of the fight Xander was standing bloody rags. And the Soldiers that had killed his little princess were dead.

As the Princes guards, made there way into the room. They had to fight their way through a squad of the second sons troops. Once they entered the room the stopped to stare at the sight. There were body parts every were in the middle of them stood a Blood God. Blood dripped from his head to foot. Matting his hair down. Covered in blood the way he was they were unable to tell if he was white or black. He was like force of nature standing there. The blood from his many cuts merging with the blood of the fallen. He stood looking at the body of the little girl breathing deeper and deeper. The only words he said was.

"Who?" That voice broke no question. Only answers.

Once he found out who had sent these men to kill an innocent little girl, he was gone. At a run. He ran as a Zulu warrior of old ran, with nothing but his weapons and a few scaps of clothing. He had one thing on his mind, revenge.

It was said that the home of the second born prince was a nightmare that night. That the very earth came for the Second son. He had thought he would be safe behind his high walks. Only no one saw a bloody shadow crawl up the walls. Leaving behind trail of blood and bodies. Once the second son saw that all was lost and this ghost of blood was after him. He ran. First in a car then in a jeep. And finally on foot.

His men had long since ran off. Leaving him to deal with this specter. It wouldn't stop. Bullets bounced off its shield and it blade cut them down. If the men stopped to fight him. They died if they threw down their arms it pasted them. When caught up with the second son. It took days for him to die. The little valley were he was kept rang with the screams and pleas. But in the end he died. Xander flayed him out and smashed out his teeth. He stung the teeth into a necklace, he still keeps it to this day. The skin he gave to the prince. Who gave him a heavy metal band to wear on his arm to show that he was a warrior of the Zulu people.

It was the start of his darkest times. It was also the time he left the Council.

"That's the guy you called a wimp." Faith smiled at them, "If he had lost it he would have killed good old Johnny boy there, and not lost a minute of sleep. Hell he could be planning as we speak. He holds on the grudge better than anyone I know."

With that Faith turned and walked away.

"Xander? Xander!" Cordy was all but yelling.

"Daughter?" The stunned man asked, "I have a daughter?"

"Yes," Cordy said, "Now can we move on?"

"Who is she? Were is she?" there was a desperate plea in his voice.

"You know her," Cordy pause looking up, "But I can't tell you who. I not even to tell you that you know her." Cordy said looking at with kind of half nod, the kind said think dip shit.

"What's going to happen?" The plea stronger in his voice.

"Bad that all I can say," Cordy looked at the bottle of whiskey that he had been sitting on a work bench. "And that's not going to help."

"Ok, I understand. Stop the booze."

"Good," Cordy paused again, "Now your love life."

"No, No way or we talking about this." His voice talking on a finale tone.

"I was talking Ayna yesterday. And We both agree you need to move on. And get away from the blonde's."

"What you guy have nothing better that to talk about my sex life?" he demanded

"Not sex, love. You have a woman that's in love with you right here, and she if defending you as we speak. Ayna likes her to. Got a vengeful streak in her. I don't really care for her but she is at least human. Mostly." Cordy crossed her arms. "Give her a chance. I know you care for her and have more than friendly feelings. But you need to move on. Plus she would be good for your daughter. Show her how NOT to do things." Cordy smiled, then looked up.

"Well its time for me to go, I will be keeping an eye on you. Might drop in from time to time. Oh, and Ayna sends her love. You were getting back together in the end. And she still loves you. That I will never understand about you. You do us girls dirty and we still love you." Cordy gave him another big smile to take the sting out of her words then, in a shower of lights she was gone.

Across the country

"We found him." A voice in the dark said.

"How?"

"A lawyer of all things has been digging around for him."

"The contract will be fulfilled."

"The Taraka never forget."

London

"Come on were going to miss the plane." Buffy called to her red headed freind.

"I still don't see why I can't just magic us there." Willow said with a pout.

"Your not going to magic me anywhere ever again. I still have nightmares about the last time." Buffy looking hard at her friend.

"It was an accident!" Willow call after Buffy who had sped up to get the plane.

A few years ago, Buffy had needed to get to the Vatican to a meeting with the Pope. And asked Willow to help her out. Well, Buffy did make it to the meeting. Right on time to. Just as the Pope had been seated and Giles had began. Buffy popped into the room. The only problem her clothes didn't.

"Well, mostly an Accident." Willow whispered as She sped up to catch Buffy.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Happily ever after ? 4

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters: F/X.

Rating: pg to r

Notes: you can find most of my stories at

http/ arrived home.

She had stopped off at local store on the way, but she couldn't think of a thing to get that they didn't already have. So, she got the usual, a case of Beer.

She wished Xander would cut back on it but she didn't think it would work. He had to get through this on his own. But she would be there for him. And she knew how his mind worked; well, mostly knew. Who could really say what Xander thought most of the time? He had a habit of surprising you.

The first think she noticed was the county music was off. Xander's music of pain, he had been driving her crazy playing it all the time.

But now it was off.

Also, there were empty whiskey bottles lined around the sink and a strong smell of the drink coming up the drain. Also, the trash can was full of empty beer cans.

What the hell? Faith thought as she walked into the living room.

There on the couch was a clean and sober Xander Harris. All around him were open boxes. And sitting on the coffee table before him, he had piles of photo albums, and photo CDs. He was looking through the albums while a laptop was scanning the CDs.

Now what? Faith thought again.

"Uh, Xan," Faith said, as he looked up at her walking in. "What's going on?"

"Do you believe that the dead can talk to us?" Xander asked ,looking very serious.

"Slayer here," Faith pointed an upturned thumb at herself. "I talk to the dead all the time, and they try to eat me, and so not in the good way."

"Not Vampires," Xander said a look of lust in his eyes at the thought of eating... Faith running through his mind. "I mean the good guys talking to ya."

"Well," Faith looked at him trying to figure out where this conversation was headed. "I suppose they could talk to us. Got something you want to say?"

"Someone came to see me tonight." Xander paused; he wasn't sure about telling anyone about the visit.

But this was his Faith; she had stood by his side for the last month or so and took all the drunken crap he had done.

"I was told that I have a daughter, and she going to be in trouble soon."

"Uh, huh?" Faith was confused. "Just where is this daughter you have?"

"That's what I'm doing." Xander pointed at the albums and CDs. "Every woman I had sex with has a picture in there."

"Kind of been the stud, huh?" Looking at the piles, it must have been at least 30 albums and 100 CDs.

"What?" Xander kind of did a double take and looked at the pile, then said with a laugh, "No, I haven't slept with everyone in those, their pictures are in there. I was just sorting them out to see if I could find out who the mother could be. The Higher Powers won't let Cordy tell me who it is, so I need to hunt her up myself."

"Cordy?" Faith whispered.

She knew about the girl and had met her a time or two, since Cordy had been a big part of her two favorite guys' lives. Both had loved her at one time, and still carried a touch for her even after she had died.

From what she had heard,

Xander had walked into Angel's office and knocked the vampire down after he had found out she had died. No one at Wolfram & Heart could figure out how he had gotten in and by the time the fight was over, he wasn't telling. Everyone kind of thought Spike had had something to do with it, the way he was egging them on as they destroyed Angel's office. But there was no proof.

Faith sat beside him and looked at the piles of pictures laying there. She saw beautiful women, tall women, short women, even a few ugly women. Some she knew as Slayers, some that didn't look quite human, and a few she knew personally.

One stood out from the rest: Kennedy.

"Xander?" Faith asked, looking at the picture.

"Yeah?" Xander said, not looking at her.

"Is this who I think it is?" she asked, holding up the picture.

"Yes," Xander drew in a deep breath, "and yes, she was with Willow at the time. She had the urge you know, and nowhere to go with it. We both thought we were going to die the next day. It was few months after she and Wills broke it off."

Faith kept going through the pictures, stopped on another one and looked, then looked again. It was Buffy.

"You slept with Buffy?" Faith didn't know if she was more shocked about them having sex or that she didn't know about it.

"That's not Buffy," Xander said looking up once again. "Her name was Daphne. Met her when she and her friends were doing some ghost hunting. But she does look a lot like Buffy. It was weird. And she was a total airhead on top of it. Kept wanting to call me Fred and wanted me to wear an ascot.

"I mean, who wears an ascot these days?"

Once Xander had sorted them out, then he went through the pictures again. Only this time he sorted out the living from the dead. That cut the stack down a lot. Only 13 girls were left.

"So, Xander, you slept with all these girls, huh?" Faith said, looking at the stacks.

"Yes," Xander said, not really looking at her. If he had a daughter, and he wasn't sure about that yet, he was going to find her. "What of it?"

"All I can say is," Faith paused dramatically, "You're a slut!"

"I can't believe we missed the plane!" Buffy said as she flopped down in a seat next to Willow.

They had made it to the USA, but were held up in New York and missed the connecting flight. So, at midnight, they were sitting in a plane terminal in New York.

Buffy would get up to look around every now and then, stake a few vampires, then return. You'd be surprised how many vamps travel by air, or at least hunt at the air ports. People come and go all the time, and no one noticed when someone went missing.

"Sorry, I am not the one with three carry-ons," Willow muttered to her self as Buffy once again jumped up to walk around airport.

She loved Buffy, but Buffy got on her nerves a lot lately.

After a little while, Willow started to get phone calls - someone was looking thought the Council databases about Slayers and their contacts, but only the women contacts.

There was something they were looking for about children. And the big thing was, whoever they were, they were using Willow's password. A very old one. One she hadn't used since Sunnydale. But before her techno-Witches could track them, they were out. Nothing was harmed and nothing world shaking was accessed, just the personal files.

It had taken Xander all night to go through his pictures and by the end, he couldn't find one that could have been the mother. Either they were dead or didn't have a child running around.

Well that wasn't quite true. Shelly had a son, but not a daughter and was in a good relationship with none other than Robin Wood.

So, after a night of hunting and a few calls, they had nothing except for a raid on the Watchers' computer system.

Xander had not believed it would have been that easy. Willow still had her old password in place, the one she used to lock up her computer so Xander and Jessie couldn't look at porn sites.

Of course, they had found it and used when she wasn't around.

And after all these years, she still used it.

Well, it had helped him to find no one.

So, he headed to bed with Faith walking slowly behind him. It was late, but he was still sober. It had been a while since he had gone to bed sober.

Faith stopped at the door. She usually poured Xander into bed, but this time, he took off his clothes and got ready for bed by himself, never once looking at her.

Once he started climbing into bed, he looked at her.

"So, sleeping in your clothes?" Xander asked.

"Nope, just not sure you want me here," Faith said. She was feeling kind of out of place right then. "You're usually asleep before I go to sleep."

"Faith," Xander sighed, "you shared my bed for over three months, I sure you can keep it up. Just remember, I am slut." Xander grinned at her.

"Yeah, told slut guy."

She started to take off her clothes and get ready for bed when she noticed that Xander had not stopped watching her. She smiled to herself and started to turn it into a little tease, making her movements as slow and sexually-charged as she could without actually doing anything sexual.

It was fun.

Xander just groaned a little and sunk under the covers.

Yep, Faith thought with a small grin. Still got it.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Happily ever after ?

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters:X/F

Rating: R

Summary: Xander leaves the Scoobies, then travels the world only to find himself back in the USA were he gets married. From there it only goes down hill.

Warnings: Adult themes, a bit of blood violence

Notes: you can find most of my stories at http/ next morning. Xander felt the nights sleep slide off of him. He was just this side of being in a truly deep sleep. The warm body beside him was spooned against his chest. During the night Xander and Faith had pulled close to each other. But Xander also came to realize that he also had the normal morning reaction with most males. But that problem wasn't the only one this morning. His morning problem was right this moment wedged between him and Faith. And not just anywhere on Faith. She had went to sleep last night in a thong, and his little friend was push up tight between Faiths ass cheeks, the only thing keeping him from being in contact with Faith's o so nice rear was his sweat pants. And every time she moved it rubbed him in all the right, Uh wrong ways. Trying to keep in mind that he was still married and didn't want to be a cheater, even thou he knew that he would never be with Janet again. He was still married and didn't want to break his vows, at least until after the divorce. He had cheated one time, and got the T-shirt and all that, and there was no way he was going to do that again. He would never cheat on anyone again. So he was keeping it simple, don't do anything til he was no longer married.

Then he though Faiths cold. Her nipples were very hard.

Wait a minute! Xander though, as he realized that Faith had taken her shirt off in he night and just where his hands were that he could FEEL Faiths nipples. He had wrapped his arms around her in the night and palms of his hands were cupping her breasts.

He was out of the bed like a shot. Only to Faith roll over and look at him. She sat up the sheets falling off her bear breasts.

"I...I...I Got to go to the bath room." With that Xander was out of the room.

"Boys." Faith call after him. Smiling. This was going to be so much fun. He was hers and she never lost what was hers. Soon he would realize that the better.

"Hey Xander," Faith called out toward the way Xander ran, "Remember, you do that too much you'll go blind."

It's a good thing she had Slayer hearing or she would have missed the groan that followed that.

Cleveland.

Buffy and Willow had to stop over at the house on the way to get their Xander. And got caught up in a minor emergency. Nothing that they couldn't take care of. Hell the baby Slayer could have handled it. But someone had tried out a new recipe and everyone at the house had gotten food poisoning. It was so not a pretty sight. All the girls were fighting over the bathrooms. And the Watchers that had been stationed there weren't much better off.

It had taken them two days to straighten the mess out. And get some back up, and running. And also to keep the girls from killing Shelly, the one who had made the meal that had but them all down.

Amy was walking up to Xanders home she was happy the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky. Her dad was letting her hang with Xander again. Even if he always had that Faith bitch with him. But she could look around that to be with her friend. She had just reached the front of the house when she heard a crash from the backyard. Then another. Followed by a scream and followed by another crash.

Xander must be playing in his pool. Amy though heading around back of the house. But as she neared the privacy fence she could make out what was being said.

"Alright you bitch. No more mister nice guy!" Xander was yelling at someone.

"Ahh come on I did hit you that hard." Faith said, "and you know you like getting sweaty with me." The sound that followed was the sound of Flesh hitting flesh, then a big splash.

Amy pulled open to the gate to see Xander standing by the pool were an very wet Faith treading water.

"Well, Xan" Faith looking up at him with a smile, "Looks like you got me all wet."

Xander watched as Faith pulled herself out of the pool. Wearing a very wet and white t-shirt. Xander jaw fell, and he made a chocking sound.

"Why," Faith started, "what ever is the matter Xan?" Looking around, then down to her chest, "O, this. Why Xan you felt them enough last night. Surely this is not bothering you?"

Amy just stood at the gate watching, a blush covering her face. It was just too freaky Old people shouldn't act this way.

"Why you...you... Sex girl you," Xander said looking shocked, "You made me throw you in the pool!"

"An just how could I make you do anything?" Faith asked in a low seductive voice.

Amy had had enough, she started to make a gagging noise cause both of the adults to look at her.

"Hey," Xander said, "Amy what's up?"

"Please stop acting that way its making me sick." Amy said waving her arms at them.

"What?" Xander said, "Were not doing anything."

"Your Flirting!" Amy yelled at him, "Old people don't flir!"

"HEY!" Both Faith and Xander said almost at the same time, "I'm not that old!"

Amy just looked at them.

"So just what were you doing anyway," Amy asked with a raised eyebrow, " If you weren't flirting?"

"Practicing hand to hand fighting." Xander said with a what else look on his face.

"Uh, Huh." Amy said looking over Xander who was in the very tight shorts, and Faith in her wet t-shirt and micro- mini shorts.

"Hand to hand?" Amy said, "You keeping to that story?"

"Well," Faith said looking over at Amy, "looks like I need some dry clothes. Be back in a minute." The she walked into the house, Xander turned to watcher her walk. Faith smiled watching Xander reflection on the sliding glass door. Then but a little more swing in her hips. Hey she was changing her clothes because of the teenager, but still needed to claim the man more.

Amy just watched the skank walk into the house. Then turned to glare at Xander, how could he fall for that... woman. He was her friend, But she would watch out for him. All she needed to do was get Faith gone. And with another woman, and good woman. Not someone biker trash.

Across town

Janet said in the beauty shop, they had just put a perm and dyed her hair. She had been out of town all day, getting her new wardrobe together. The next stop was to get her husband back. And Janet knew just how to do it. Once she walked out of the shop, all the gossip that had been halted when she walked in. And new gossip started.

The last was about Janet and Xander, how Janet must have caught him in bed with that Faith girl. The reasoning being. That Janet caught him in bed with Faith. Broke it off, Xander got drunk and got in a bar fight. Then within a few days' Faith was living with him. Also the stories about were and what he had been doing got around the town. With each tell growing. More and more, they even drug in Amy and her father Joe. How she was always going over to The Harris's and bringing all the teenage girls with her. What kind of Father lets his daughter do that? She was going to turn up pregnant and have a shotgun wedding just like her mom.

Mark Johnson's law office

Mark was sitting at his desk, a large file before him. It was all that could be found on one Alexander L. Harris. It was bits and pieces from around the world. From government records. The Private Investigator had changed him an arm and leg to get most of this stuff. Finally he had something. Mr. Harris was rich from the files from IRS, who were interested in HOW Mr. Harris got his money, other than a small insurance and inheritance from some woman in California, there was no record of him working, but he had the money, so the IRS was looking at him, and also was the FBI. But both had been pulled off the case by someone unknown. And been told to leave him alone. But finding out that wasn't as big as finding out that Mr. Harris had at least 12 passports from 12 differing counties. According to the English he as a school teacher from a private girl school, the South Africa have him listed as an Zulu prince. The Canadian have him listed as member of a native American tribe. The Chinese have as an Doctor of what it wasn't listed. And a few others as well each one unbelievable as the last. He has a Federal concealed weapon permit, which means he could be armed at anytime, and take it just about anywhere he wanted to go. His medical record was just as bad. He had pages up wounds, from animal attacks to sword slashes. Their were even bullet wounds. Just what had Mr. Harris been up to he didn't know. But it all boiled down to he was rich. And he was going to get his cut of the pie after he got the money for his client, he had already gotten some women from around the neighboring town to say they had slept with him. And from the files they really might be some truth to it, in the file were lists three pages long with women that Mr. Harris had traveled with. All young very young. And all beauties. It was just a matter of time. He would find out something that he could stick to Mr. Harris, something that he didn't want in public and he would have the man.

Mark was so into his plans with the money he was going to get he didn't feel the sharp pain at his neck til it was gone, and the warm feeling running down his front. Then he head jerked, when he again could see he was looking up at an odd angel. A woman was standing behind his chair. But that wasn't what bothered him the most. It was the head less body in his chair, the one wearing his clothes. It bothered him til it all just faded away.

The woman then piled the files from the desk together and walked out. Not bothering with about the blood on them, one of her partners could fix that.

The day had had gotten better for Xander. And after the creepage, Amy got from seeing him and Faith play the day had turned out nice. They had sat around the pool talking and just having a good time. Amy even called some of her friends over. And turned into a pool party. Xander just felt a little left out some times. Like now. Here he was in own home. Surrounded by girls. Not one of Amy's friends brought a guy with them. And soon it felt like Xander was drowning in estrogen. The girls did take a little pity on him thought. Not much but a little. And Faith didn't flirt once, She even made some inroads with Amy, so for the party was over at least Amy wasn't mumbling under her breath about Faith. Kind of felt like he was back at the school with the other slayers. Only without the demon talk and the Hungry horny thing going on. At lest he hoped it wasn't going on. His poor old heart couldn't take that. The very thought of the these young girls doing that... would... really... Who the hell was he kidding he was enjoy it to the max.

I am such a dirty old man Xander thought. But hey most were over age. And he could at least legally think about them.

He was enjoying himself so much, at least until he was talking to one of the girls about some movie that was on tv last night. He could remember standing in line to see it with Willow, but the girl said she was only three when it came out. Talk about cutting you down in your prime. He just felt so old. The only other one who he could even relate that too, was Faith and NO way would she had stood in line for a Sci/fic movie.

But soon enough the party was over and the girls had left. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up the yard. And to reward his to female helpers Xander took them out to eat. Their pick any where.

Later and Kylies Smoke House

Xander sat back and watched in awe as the two women put away the ribs. They were on their third plate apiece. When something caught his eye.

"Oh...My.. God." Xander said looking up at who was walking up to them.

Janet, She had her hair fixed, just like Faiths hair, thou Faith's was natural and Janet's was a dye job. And to top it all off she was dressed like Faith, right down to the leather pants.

"Shit?" both Faith and Amy said at the same time looking to see what had affected Xander so much.

"Hey, Stud," Janet said looking at Xander, "what's happening?"

"Uh, Janet?" Xander was just floored by the look, not that he though it was bad, Janet even though she was a cheat skank was a good looking woman. But this was just unexpected, "You changed your look."

"Yes," Janet said with a toss of her head, "You like?"

"What do you want?" Xanders face had gone blank, Faith didn't know if she liked that look, she couldn't get a read on him when he does that.

"You." Janet leaned end to kiss Xan, who pulled back so far so he almost tipped his chair over.

"Janet we're through." Xanders voice firm, but he was looking around the room. Everyone's eyes seem to be on them. Most of the people in the restaurant knew that Xander had split with Janet, even if they didn't know why. Just that Xander had taken a woman into his house not very long after Janet had left, which to most people in the town meant that Janet had caught Xander cheating. Something Xander had never contradicted, he just didn't care what people said about him anymore. He would be gone after the divorce any way, this town wasn't home anymore. He would miss a few people but not the town.

"Come on we were good together. And you know it." Janet said.

Faith was going to explode any moment the only thing holding her back, was Xander. She didn't want to hurt Xan, and He was married to the cheating skank. But if Xander had sobered up and wanted to get back with her, it would hurt but she would move on. She had had relationships fall apart before. It hurts then you move on. As long as Xander was happy that what she wanted, and right then and there she came to realization of how much she loved the geek. So much she would do anything for HIM.

"Go away," Xander told his wife, "I am out with my two best friends. You're not wanted here."

"Come on," Janet said, "I am the best thing to happen to you and I willing to change for you."

"Don't care go away." Xander turned to look at his dinning company.

"Look," Janet said putting her hands on her hips, "You're my husband. You will come home with me."

"Look,"Amy began, "go away you two timing slut. Leave Xan alone."

"Oh, playing with the kids again are you Xan?" Janet said it in a tone that made it sound like sound like he was a pervert.

Xanders eyes when flat. Faith had seen that look before usually right before something ends up dead.

"You're the one that plays around." Amy said just before a slap knocked her to the ground.

"Don't speak to you betters that way." Janet said standing over her.

Then it happen, So fast no could have stopped it. But nothing could have stopped it, not with how fast Faith was she was up and on Janet before she could turn around. Faith was willing to sit out and watch, but not when someone hits a child, it brings back so many bad memories. So with three fast blows Janet was on the ground. Faith looked over at Xander who was slowly releasing his steak knife. Xander looked up at Faith with relief, she knew that she had just saved Janet's life. The Harris temper was bad enough, but through in the Hyena on top of that. He had hurt a cub, a pack member. She was very lucky. Xander would have killed her right there from the looks of things.

The group got up and paying their bill and quickly left. Leaving Janet on the floor looking on with shock. She knew how to handle herself in a fight what country girl didn't? But that Faith the slut was just to fast. She needed to regroup and plan again. She was not going to let Xander get away from her. Then maybe get a gun.

When the couple arrived home, after dropping Amy at her house. Both Faith and Xander were relived that no cops were waiting for them. Xander really didn't want to go through the mess with the cops, and Faith wasn't to sure about he record. It had been cleaned up thanks to Council and the Riley but it still bit her on the ass a time or two. Just simple traffic checks could turn into major delays.

But the day was over, and both had had great time. The teasing, the part with the kids. Amy, it all had been great like what Family should be like. Now it was bed time.

As Xander and Faith got ready for bed, outside it wasn't as peaceful. A car sat across the road from his home. Three figures sat in it.

"The home is warded," The driver said never taking his eyes off the home, "We can't get close enough to take him out."

"There is also a Slayer body guard living with him," the Female said. "It would be hard to take him out with her around. We need to separate them. But how?"

"He has cut himself off from all members of the town but the Bartender and his Daughter."

"Well then that is the way to get him out." The female said. With that the driver pulled out on the street and slowly drove away.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Happily ever After 6

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters:

Rating: NC-17

Summary:

Warnings: This Has SEX in it. If it bothers you, don't read. It is also my first time writing a sex scene. You have been warned.

There was a bang on the back door. Jerking awake, Xander realized that before he could even start moving, Faith was already out of the bedroom. The only thing Xander could recall seeing was a flash of a nude Faith. Sometime during the night, she had stripped completely.

As Xander moved to follow her, he could only think she is trying to kill me.

As he got to the back door of his home he could see Faith looking around. She was moving like a hunting cat. Or an Amazon warrior. She was nude and holding a dagger, a very big dagger.

Where THAT had came from, he didn't know. But he knew it wasn't from his bedroom. Once he had seen the movie 'Basic Instinct,' he wouldn't let a woman sleep in his room with sharp objects; after all, most of the women he knew had, at one time or another, tried to kill him. So better safe than sorry approach was safe for all concerned, mainly Xander.

Where the hell did she keep that? Xander thought as the dark beauty walked the fence line in his back yard. Along with, Thank god for privacy fences.

The neighbors would have had a field day with the sight of a nude Faith walking in his backyard. The rumors about him were bad enough without adding to them.

As Faith walked the yard, Xander noticed a box. It was lying at the side of the door, and was small - about the size of a shoe box - and tied close with a leather thong.

And it was heavy. At least, heavier than it should be.

Taking another look at the nude Faith Hey who wouldn't, Xander opened the box.

And nearly dropped it.

Inside was a human hand. Male, and around his age. In the palm was a ring, one that he had seen almost everyday. It was Amy's. And then, with a shot of clarity, he could recall the ring on Misty's hand. Amy's mother.

Then another flash. Of the night he had last seen it.

Flash Back

Taken out due to content, if you want full story go toTwisting on the Hellmouth. ifnot keep reading its just one big old sex seen were Xander see's ring and figures things out.

End Flash back

And there was her ring. Her promise ring, one that her husband gave her. That she gave to her daughter...

My daughter.

It all fit now. Amy was his, not Joe's. That was what Misty wanted him to know before she had died. And why she didn't tell anyone what she was going to tell Xander.

Then the box shifted, under the hand was a mark. The mark of the brotherhood.

His brotherhood.

The Order of Teraka.

He had walked away from them a long time ago.

He had a target one time, a young woman. It had been payback for her switching sides in a war, and he refused to go through with it. And that had put a death mark on his head.

And it looked like they had finally gotten him. They had his daughter, Amy.

Written under the mark was a simple command. Come or she dies like her father, with a time and place.

Looking up as Faith neared, Xander closed the lid. He could tell her, tell it all, but he was ashamed of some of the things he had done, and didn't want to lose that look she had in her eyes when she looked at him.

He knew it would fade, anyway. It always did. No one really wanted him around, anyway. Sooner or later, it always fell apart. His past, who he was, it always drove them away, or killed them.

So no matter what, he was not going to bring her into this. He had dug this hole. He would pay the price, alone.

And get his daughter away from it. He cared...No, he loved Faith too much to drag her into his problems.

"So, X?" Faith asked as she walked up to him, her hips swinging, in the slow sexual predator walk she had perfected over the years. An Amazon on the make.

"What's in the box?"

"Nothing important," Xander said. At one time in his life, he couldn't lie; everyone could see through his lies. But that was a long time ago.

"Ok," Faith said slowly looking over her soon to be lover. "Let's go back to bed."

"Sure thing." Xander watched as Faith moved into the house, then said, "I'll be back to bed in a minute. I think I forgot to lock my workshop."

"Ok," Faith said. "Just don't take too long. I don't want to the bed to get cold. I might have to take steps to warm it up."

Outside. An hour or so later.

Xander watched as the lights went out in his home, standing at the door to his shop. Once he was sure that Faith had gone to sleep, Xander entered the shop. He knew Faith was just teasing about waiting for him. She would be asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows. Just like every night.

If she hasn't patrolled, that is. If she had, she would have been up all night.

Opening and going into the shop, he turned on the lights and walked the room. Here were his treasures, the things that he had collected while traveling. The weapons of a hunter, a warrior. A killer.

His Zulu warrior stabbing spear, alongside a warrior's cowhide shield. A Kris hung from a bandoleer; the well worn short sword had seen better days, but it was still a good weapon. And a Lematt pistol, a old black powder pistol from the American Civil war. It was a Confederate Calvary weapon, holding six .32 cal rounds, with a .410 shotgun round in the middle.

Only it no longer used lead shot. He used blessed sliver now as the pistol rounds, and the shotgun rounds - well, they were a combination of slivers of wooden crosses and silver.

He took down from the wall his steel bracers, and the necklace made from the claws of a grizzle bear, interwoven with the bear's teeth. It was a symbol of protection, according to the Shaman who gave it to him as payment of a debt. He had saved the tribe and honor demanded that he be given something in reward.

Xander had refused the initial gift of a virgin - not that the girl was complaining; she saw Xander as a wondering warrior, a romantic image, and if she was to give this gift to anyone other than some unknown husband, it would be this man. He let the girl down as easily as he could, not screaming and running from a thirteen year old.

So he was given the necklace, instead. It had been made from the tribe's fallen, and would protect the living from most evils.

Xander looked around the room. After he had decided that he had enough weapons, he then started to pull out various boxes. He pulled out one piece after another, 'til he had found all he was looking for. His body armor.

After dressing in his armor, and pulling on his weapons, he headed out the door. One quick look around, then off he headed into the dark. As soon as he was gone, Faith stepped out of the shadows.

She had been watching him the whole time he was getting ready. She knew he had been lying to her. She had been lied to by the best all her life, and while Xander was a good liar, she had seen through him as soon as he had said 'nothing important.'

The bang on the door, and then the box.

She could smell blood all over it; she wasn't stupid and she immediately realized what he was doing. He was protecting her; from what she didn't know, but she would find out.

So when Xander had gone to the shop, she had gone back to their room, and put on her leathers. Then hit the lights, and once Xander had gone into his shop, she snuck out and watched him through the window as he pulled out more and more weapons and armor.

And when he left the yard, she followed him out into the night.

There was no way she was going to let him meet this problem alone. It's what you did for the people you love.

Same time across town.

The midnight shift at the diner was boring. No one really ever came in, just a few truckers, cops. And travelers, looking for somewhere else. Janet had been on the shift for a week now. It was almost time to rotate to the day shifts. Then she really could hunt the bitch down.

It was just a little past midnight when they walked in. Two women - one blonde, one redhead. The were talking in whispers. And looking around.

"Excuse me," the blonde said, looking at Janet. "Is this Parkerville?"

"Yes," Janet said, not liking the looks of these women one bit. City girls only came to the county for one thing, to take husbands, like the biker trash slut, Faith. "You're just at the city limits."

"Cool." Both the blonde and redhead perked up a bit at that. "You don't happen to know a Xander Harris?"

"Why?" Janet asked. These sluts were looking for her Xander. What'd Xander do, run a ad in Sluts 'R' Us?

"We're old friends. Just looking him up," the redhead said.

"Nope," Janet said glaring at the duo. "I don't know a Xander Harris."

"Ok," the red head said, a small frown on her face. "Then we need Coffee and direction to a hotel."

"How do you want it?" Janet asked, getting back to her job.

"Black," both girls said, only The blonde was looking at the walls when she said it. Along the walls were pictures of the staff and customers.

She was looking at a picture. On one picture was Janet and Xander, and written under it was the words, 'just back from their honeymoon.' Both looking tired and wearing t-shirts from the coast.

"Hey?" the blonde called out. The short order cook looked up from his magazine at a table by the kitchen, and seeing no problem went back to reading.

"What?" Janet said, stopping and looking down her nose at the two girls.

"I thought you said you didn't know Xander?" the blonde said through clenched teeth. Buffy had had enough runarounds. This whole trip had been nothing but one big runaround.

"So," Janet said, putting her hands on her hips. "You think I'm going to send more sluts to my husband? He already had one that trying to break us up. I sure as hell don't plan on any more getting in the way."

"Wait, whoa," Willow said. "Slow the horse down. We're just friends. Xander's friends. Knew him all his life. Well, Buffy here hasn't, she's only known him since high school. But I was there when he took his first step. My mom used to give us baths together."

"Just pay for your coffee and go," Janet said, "You city girls are the same. We don't want you here."

"What flew up your dress and died, lady?" Buffy asked, getting madder than she was before. First this bitch called them sluts, the said they were going to try to take her Xander away from her.

Janet just lost it. This bitch had the nerve to talk back to her! No way was she going to take this from some bottle blonde. Janet almost growled as she jumped at Buffy.

Taken completely by surprise, she managed to knock Buffy to the ground. Willow moved to help her friend, only to catch a backhand blow across her nose when Janet spun around to face her.

Just then, Deputy Johnson walked in. The tall black man looked at the women, Janet standing over a blonde and a redhead holding a bloody nose.

"What's going on here?" Johnson asked in a calm voice. One thing he had learned over the years - never raise your voice to a woman in the middle of a fight; they tend to go off on you.

"These two attacked me!" Janet yelled out. Buffy and Willow just sat there, speechless. She knew she could take out the cop with no problem but that still wouldn't help her find Xander, especially if the cops were chasing her.

"Is that a fact?" Johnson said looking down at the two out-of-towners.

"No Sir," Buffy said, looking up at the tall man from the floor. "She started this. We only wanted to know if she knew Xander."

Johnson eyes narrowed. Xander Harris. These two are hooked up with that time bomb.

Johnson was one of the first officers to arrive at Joe's on the day of the big fight. The day that Janet left him. He was also one of the first to be knocked out by the guy. He was a lethal troublemaker.

"So," Johnson asked looking around. "Anybody see what happened?"

"Yeah, they attacked Janet," the cook said, not looking up from his magazine.

Hell, he really didn't care what happened, as long as they left. He had to work with Janet and she was getting crazy. Who wants to have a crazy woman working around you when there are sharp things laying about?

"Is that so?" Johnson asked no one. Then said, "Let's just take you in and let you sit in a cell over night. We don't take kind to outsiders picking on our townspeople."

"But. But... What?" was all Buffy could say as she was handcuffed and then moved to the patrol car. Willow soon followed her. Willow just to shocked, someone had hit her, and it was Xanders Wife? By the time she got her brain around that they had already been locked in their cells. And by then they would have to wait for the Council to bail them out in the morning.

At the Jail, they were stripped and examined. They even had to go through the Delousing, something that the jail hadn't done in years. Then they were locked in separate cells.

Buffy was locked up with the local hookers from a round-up at a truck stop, while Willow was locked up with some druggies that had been caught stealing sheep.

They had said they were stealing them to sell the wool or something, but she had overheard two of the jailers talking about how the druggies were going to use them in some kind of sex video.

Buffy and Willow looked at each other from across the hallway.

But both had the same thought.

People in Mississippi are strange.


	7. Chapter 7

Amy was in tears. She had heard her dad scream from the next room, then there was nothing. And that had been hours ago. Well, maybe it had been hours, she really couldn't tell how long she had been in the room. Only that it had been a while.

The last thing she remembered was her dad calling to her, something about running. Then it all had gone dark 'til she came to in a barn, judging by the smell of things. Her dad was laying across her, both thrown to the ground like discarded toys. ྭ

But soon enough, she was alone, as a woman and tall man walked in and dragged her father from the room. The woman gave the girl a cool smile, but the man - he made her feel dirty just by looking at her. It was a look that she had liked from some of the boys she had know, but not from this old guy.

A few minutes (or hours) later the woman was back, this time to take her. Amy tried to fight, she really did, but the woman just ignored most of her struggles. Then, when she had had enough, she slapped Amy, driving the young woman to the ground.

"Stay," The woman said looking at her with cold blue eyes - eyes that promised all kinds of pain if she didn't do exactly what she was told.

In the darkness around Amy she could just make out farming tools, along with yard tools, and she could ྭfeel the eyes of the man on her again. Amy drew her legs together with her feet under her.

Amy just looked at the woman, swallowing as the woman seemed to fade into the shadows around her. And the sounds of metal on metal in the shadows stopped her from moving.

She knew that they were just waiting to hurt her if she moved.

Xander was almost to the farm where the assassins were held up. He knew where it was from the markings in the box.

It had been an address and he had been there before. Many times.

The Johnson farm. He had worked alongside Malcolm when the man needed help after he had hurt his back and needed someone to replace some of the walls of his home. It had been some enjoyable afternoons as the old Black man had told him stories. Some of them were outright lies, but all were funny.

In all of Xander's travels and all that he had seen, this man had shown him how to find peace with himself. Old Man Johnson was wise, and he was funny.

He had had a hard life. He'd experienced a lot, from being the first black man to get to the all white private school one town over, to the time he stood down three KKK members that were going to burn a cross in his yard. Something that he was proud of, since he didn't even have a gun at the time. Just Balls and Guts.

Xander cautiously moved closer to the home. It usually had at least a light on, but tonight it was dark. As he got within a few feet of the home, he realized it was dark, and dead.

Xander could feel the lifelessness coming from the building. And he knew there would be no more stories. No more ready smiles. ྭ

A great man had died here and no one even knew it.

Buffy and Willow had been moved from their cells and each sat in a separate interrogation room. Both had been in rooms like this before - it was a price they paid for saving the world. You always seemed to be a wrong place at the wrong time and the police were always on time.

"Now, let's go over it again," Deputy Johnson said. "You claim that you and your friend just walked into the dinner and asked where Xander Harris lives and his WIFE just attacked you?"

Willow just nodded her head. Finally, it was getting through the man's thick head.

"A wife that has no idea who you are," Johnson continued. "People that are such good friends that you don't know were he lives?"

"Well, it's been a while." Willow began.

"You know," the deputy interrupted, "I see this all the time. A man runs around on his wife. Then some of the girls he's been seeing get it in their heads that they should rub it in the wife's face."

"Hmm," Willow said, wondering where this was all heading, "yeah."

"So, you admit that you're seeing Xander Harris," Johnson snapped at the confused redhead.

"We were planning on it," Willow said. "We haven't seen him in a while."

Johnson was happy. He was getting pay back on Mr. Xander Harris, getting one of his whores to slip up. And then he would give all the information to Janet, and she could take him to the cleaners.

"So when was the last time you saw 'Xander'?" Johnson asked.

"When we were taking care of the girls," Willow said as she thought back, as it sank in how long it really had been.

"Girls? What girls?" Johnson was confused now. Girls? Did Harris have kids?

"Oh," Willow snapped out of it. "He was the teacher at a school for gifted girls."

"Xander Harris was a teacher?" Johnson asked. "I thought he worked for an oil company?"

"Uh, maybe?" Willow said with a hopeful voice. Did she blow Xander's cover? Well, no matter he would be coming home with her.

Johnson drew back from the redhead; this wasn't important. He knew that to hurt that man he needed something else, proof that he was a cheat.

Or anything else.

"So how long as Xander been doing drugs?" Johnson asked. It was the only way he could explain how a one-eyed man had taken down as many people at Joe's as he had.

"Your friend, Buffy, told us all about it."

"Xander used drugs?!?" Then the thought hit her. "BUFFY KNEW?!? I'll kill them! He knows better than that! And Buffy's keeping secrets about Xander? MY XANDER?."

Johnson shuttered as a cold breeze started in the room. Someone must have turned on the AC, Johnson thought. Hey, wasn't her hair lighter than that?

Willow sat there at the table, anger raging in her. Xander on Drugs and Buffy knew. Then the thought hit her.

"How did Buffy know Xander's on Drugs?" she demanded, her voice taking on a suspicious tone.

"She talked about it earlier when she was being booked. About how you all were sleeping together..." Johnson hoped that was enough to get her talking again. He was still had a little chill running up his spine as the room continued to cool down.

"We haven't sleep together in years. Anyway, it had to stop when he got too big," Willow said, as she thought back to the time her mom said Xander could no longer sleep in the same bed with her. That he was getting to be teenager and teenage boys wanted one thing.

Which had only confused the redhead more. Did all teenage boys want Twinkies? And how was that a bad thing?

Buffy sat looking at the deputy with her. She could feel his eyes roaming over her body and didn't really like it. But there wasn't much she could do about that, right now.

"So you got in a fight with Janet Harris?" Deputy Holbrook asked. He had known Janet all his life and he knew she was flighty, and had a bit of the wild side, but she'd seemed to settle down after she had gotten married.

"It wasn't a fight," Buffy replied casually, looking at the deputy. "If it had been, she would have been hurt a lot worse than a few bruises."

"So what happened?" the Deputy asked calmly. He knew the story from the reports and what had happened. Small town gossip - if some one got in a fight on one side of town, it would be all over town by nightfall.

"We just wanted to know were he was living, and that hopped-up waitress attacked me."

"Ahh," Holbrook nodded his head. "That explains it."

"Explains what?" ྭBuffy all but snapped. This town was getting on her last nerve.

"Janet was protecting her man," the deputy smiled a sad smile. "You see, she found out her husband was cheating on her, so she moved out. Then he moved the woman he was running around with in. So she's been a little on edge, and with you showing up..."

"Xander's doing it again?" Buffy snapped. " Wait 'til I see him."

"Again?"

"He cheated on a girlfriend in high school. I guess, once a cheat always a cheat," Buffy replied, a sad look on her face. She had hoped that Xander would raise above the male cheating gene.

"All guys cheat on their girl friends in high school," Holbrook said with a raised eyebrow. It was like a rule or something. Girls and guys would cheat; all those hormones flying around, it was lucky that was all they did.

"So who'd he cheat with this time?" Buffy asked. She knew that more than likely she wouldn't know them, but it would be more ammo she could use against her friend to get him to come home.

"Some woman named Faith."

Just then, the whole room shook as a voice of an angry redhead screeched out.

"BUFFY HAD SEX WITH XANDER?"

Across town, Xander paused as a chill ran up his back.

Looking around, he could see no sign of danger.

But he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.


	8. Chapter 8

Faith came to a stop as she watched Xander pause out side of the farm house. She slid back into the shadows 'til Xander started to move again. As soon he turned and started going deeper into the farm, she moved, too, watching him as he moved from outbuilding to outbuilding until he came finally came to the barn, where he paused and he pulled what looked like a big rubber ball.

The doorway to the barn pushed open, and Amy drew back from it as a ball bounced into the room. After the ball came to a stop, Xander walked into the room.

Amy had never seen him like this before – dark and with an aura of danger around him. The closest thing she could think of that was anywhere near similar was when he was at her father's bar just after the break up with his wife.

Now, though, he had weapons just about dripping off of him and was wearing dark leather clothing. But when he looked at her and smiled, he changed – he wasn't deadly anymore, he was just Xan and she knew right then, everything was ok.

But as he turned form her and looked around the room, the smile faded and his eye took on the darkness again, and the deadly stranger was back in place of her friend.

Xander walked into the room, looking around. He could feel the others in here with him. Where exactly he couldn't say, but their presence was definitely there.

"Ok, let her go and I'll go with you," Xander said to the shadows.

If they just wanted him, he would go. All the things that he had did in his life, all the people that wanted pay back on him – there was no way he would visit that on Amy or ...Faith.

That thought was new. But it was strong.

He cared about Faith. More than cared. He loved her. In the short time that she had been here, he grown to love the woman. From her quick turn of a phrase to her brash look on life.

Sure, she had faults, but he loved them.

And she might love him back.

But between them, Amy and Faith would not suffer because of his past.

"I don't think so," a woman's voice came from the shadows.

"Vilshadra?" Xander called out.

The woman stepped from behind a tractor.

"Hello, lover."

The jail went very quiet.

Buffy was looking at the door and saw frost forming on it. Her Slaydar was pinking wildly and she knew something powerful was coming down the hall.

And from the yell, she knew who it was. She didn't know why Willow would say that, but she kind of knew the feeling.

She looked over at the officer that was in the room with her and smirked. The guy looked like he was about to piss himself.

While normal people didn't pay much attention to the supernatural, everyone had a feeling for it. Whether it was a chill that ran up your spine, or a shadow in the corner of your eye, all people knew about it. It was just that most people didn't pay any attention to it 'til it stood in front of you and was eating your face.

And being trapped in this room with her was one of those times that you had to look it in right in the eye and pray it didn't eat you.

"Calm down. She won't hurt you," Buffy smiled, the least bit evilly. "At least, not much."

Then the door broke. Spilt right down the middle, ice falling from it as the pieces fell to the ground.

"Buffy, we need to talk." Willow said it in a calm voice. The only way Buffy knew she was pissed was her eyes. While they weren't as black as they could be, they were on their way to being there.

"Sure, Wills."

Just then, deputy Holbrook did the stupidest thing he could do. He went for his gun.

Willow and Buffy saw the movement at the same time. But Buffy didn't have the reaction time that Willow had, because no matter how fast the muscles work, they never can beat the speed of thought.

Willow saw the gun clear the deputy's holster and in that instant, she saw Tara and the blood of her wounds flashing out from her body as the bullet ripped through her body.

So she reacted.

Guns were evil things. The only thing more evil was the harming of an innocent.

And that was what saved the officer from being plastered against the wall in so many pieces.

A wave of energy flowed from her, striking both Buffy and the Deputy and slamming them both to the wall.

But the pistol stayed in place, hanging in the air and slowly spinning with an unseen wind.

"Evil things," Willow said to the room. Then, with a uplift of her eyebrow, she caused the pistol to fall apart, each piece heading in a different direction from all the others.

Soon, it was just the bullets hanging in place. And then, with a flash and a small bang, each one was reduced to molten metals bits.

"Little boys don't need to play with these kind of toys. People get hurt," Willow said in a sad voice.

Xander stood back as Vilshadra moved into the room, while Amy slid as far from the woman as she could. Xander took one look at the terrified girl and stepped between them.

"She has nothing to with this," Xander said calmly. "This is between us."

From the window, Faith watched and she tensed and was preparing to move, when a shadow fell on her.

Back in the barn, another shadow moved into the light.

Michael, Xander thought, looking at the man.

"Old home week, huh?" Xander snarked out at the duo.

Just he finished, Xander exploded into motion. He yelled at Amy to run while he drew and threw a dagger with an underhanded motion at Michael, then struck Vilshadra with an open hand blow across her throat.

Xander knew, no matter what they said, they wouldn't let Amy go.

And with Michael there…

No, he wasn't going to think that. She would get away.

There was no other way. He would die before that pedophile got a hold of his girl.

Amy was moving at soon as she heard Xander yell at her, but the door was gone.

The whole barn now was full of moving shadows. The whole of the barn was just a blur of shadows.

Turning to look at Xander to see if he could help her, her mind was sinking into the place where it was fight or flight. And she felt something there.

It pulsed in her. Green and full of life. It was giving her options on what to do.

Xander was winning .

He had cut Michael badly, and Vilshadra was on her knees, gagging. He drew his spear and the long blade on the Zulu weapon seemed to draw light into it. He drew the weapon back preparing to strike down on the gasping woman, when something was thrown into him.

The blow picked him up and knocked him across the barn.

Grabbing onto the object on him, he noticed his spear sliding away from him.

At least I don't have to worried being cut by my own weapon, he thought as his hands grabbed at what was rolling on top of him.

Leather. Jeans. Curves. A just a little too big to cup breast. And dark hair.

"Faith?" Xander asked, as they stopped sliding.

"You better not be copping feels on other girls," Faith replied, as she pulled away from Xander.

"So who's the skank and her boy-toys?"

Willow stood before Buffy, her hair almost moving in a unseen wind.

"You knew MY Xander was on Drugs?"

"What? No!" Buffy was aghast. Glancing behind Willow, she could just make out forms lying out in the hall.

"Uh, Wills?" Buffy began. "They're not dead, right?"

There was nothing she wanted more in her life right now than to make sure Willow hadn't killed, again.

The last time that had happened, it took Xander to talk her down from a magic high, and now they didn't have that.

At least, not close at hand.

"Buffy!?!" Willow yelped. " I don't kill innocents. You know that! They'll wake up in a little while. But we need to talk. About Xander, drugs, sex and you."

"Ok, Xander, friend," Buffy told her pissed friend, with a small hopeful smile. "Drugs, bad. And sex, great with the right person."

"No!" Willow yelled, cutting off her blonde friend before she went into ditz mode. "You had sex with Xander and knew he was on drugs!"

"Wha..." was the only thing Buffy could think of to say to that.

"So, you did know!" the red head accused.

"No!" Buffy finally got out. "Who told you I slept with Xander?"

"Mr. Not-listening-to-anything-I-told-him, over in the other room," Willow said, her eyes still boring into her friend's.

"Well, I never slept with him. It would be like I slept with you," Buffy said with a shudder, then added, "Eeewwww."

"Hey," Willow snapped. "What's wrong with sleeping with me? You still hung up on the fact that I'm gay?"

"What? NO!" Buffy said her eyes widening. "But you're my sister more than anything else, and Xander's more of a brother. It would be, like incest if I slept with your guys.

"And I am SO over you being gay. I mean, didn't I go with you to the gay club in London?"

"Buffy, that was not a gay club," Willow said, tapping her foot, her eyes slowly draining back to her normal color.

"Are you sure? There seemed to be a lot of women in there that night. And a few looked like guys in dresses there," Buffy said to her friend with an upraised eyebrow.

For his part, Holbrook just pushed himself farther into the corner and away from these to people, swallowing and promising God that he would be in church Sunday, if he would just get him out of this with all his body parts.

"Buffy, there was a game on that night. Remember how Giles had rounded up all the guys and took over the tv to watch it? And the guy in dresses – those were kilts. The men there had just put on a show at the college and were still in costume."

"Oh," Buffy said with a shake of her head. "That makes sense, then. Say, why don't we get Police Boy here to take us to Xander's? Then we both can talk to him."

"So you didn't tell them that you slept with Xan? Or that you and him were into to drugs?" Willow asked her friend to confirm the facts.

"No, I didn't," the blonde told her friend. "But he is cheating on his wife. That's why she went ape-shit on us."

"He's cheating again?" Willow said a little guiltily. She didn't have much of leg to stand on.

Even after all this time, she still remembered Oz's face when he found out about her and Xander's fluking.

"Yeah, " the Blond slayer continued. "He's sleeping with Faith."

Willow all but snarled when she heard who Xander was seeing, causing Holbrook to push himself farther away and almost whimper.


	9. Chapter 9

Amy cringed from her place on the floor of the barn. The three assassins had her friend down and the voice in her head was whispering. Promises of power, promises of freedom for her - of places where she couldn't be hurt, where she wouldn't have to be afraid.

She was tempted to agree, to take the promise, but she never would - all because of Xander. He had told her stories about promises and wishes. About girls that had been called to do things that put them in more and danger, of places where some of them even died.

Then, across the room Xander started to talk again.

"Vilshadra," Xander said, holding Faith with one arm, "let us go. You don't want to go down this path."

"Why, Xand, " Vilshadra said, a vicious smile on her face, a smile that only insanity could draw from a person, "is this your new whore?"

Faith growled as she surged forward. She may have been a free sprite, and had maybe slept with more men than the average girl, but she was not a whore.

"Faith!" Xander said, pulling the Slayer back to him. While he was nowhere stronger than she was, he did have the leverage to move her. "She's just pushing your buttons."

Just the words into Faith's ears calmed her down. She couldn't believe it. If Woody or any of her other boyfriends had tried that, she would have gone off on them. But it was Xander - he had never told her what to do, he would only request she do something. Even in the heat of a fight, when it was all or nothing, she knew that he would never command her, only ask.

One of the male assassins laughed, a dark and evil sound.

"Got your bitch trained, huh?"

"Go to hell," Xander snapped before Faith could react. Turning to Vilshadra, he said, "You can let them go. You have me."

"But what fun would that be?" the woman said. "You need to suffer."

"Suffer?" Xander replied. "I didn't do anything but walk away."

"You left us high and dry," Vilshadra snarled.

"Because of you, we had to start all over. We were give only the low paying jobs. We were only given the ones without a chance to move forward. All because you lost your nerve and couldn't kill the target."

It hit Faith - they knew Xander. And he was one of them.

Xander, the man she was falling in love with, was an assassin. Her eyes turned toward him. She could feel him tense as she started to look at him.

This was something he had hoped he could keep from her, from Amy. But fate once again had taken his life and kicked it into the ocean.

"She didn't know?" Vilshadra cackled. "My dears, this man was one of the best hit men in the world. He would do anything to get his target. Use anything to get in. At least 'til he turned on us. But don't worry, Xan, your last target didn't escape. She was dealt with.

"Most painfully."

"She was a child!" Xander snapped. "She didn't even know what her father was doing."

"We had a contract," Vilshadra snapped back. "Once we have one, we kill. You did it for years. Then you left us high and dry."

"I don't kill kids," Xander said. "I don't kill anyone that can't fight back."

"Oh, so you just looked the other way when it happens?"

Xander said nothing to this. Couldn't say anything. It was true. He had stayed with the assassins, hunted with them. Always keeping the high moral ground that he didn't hurt the innocent.

But not doing anything was the same as pulling the trigger.

"I did," Xander said, more to Faith than to the assassin. "I was in a bad place. I had seen too much blood in too short a time. But I won out. I left."

"Yeah," Vilshadra said looking down her nose at him. "It's what you're good at. Things get to rough and you're gone."

"Let them go," Xander pleaded. He had to try one more time. "I will go with you. But let them go."

"No," Vilshadra replied, and after a moment added with a certain relish, "I want you to suffer."

Across the room, Amy was tensing up. The voice was telling her what to do, and how to do it.

Just listen to it, but don't let it take over. It couldn't hurt right? Were the thoughts that ran thought the girl's mind. She had to help, get her... family away. She knew her dad was dead. The voice had told her, and she knew it wasn't lying to her. From the time the voice started talking to her, she knew it only telling her the truth.

But the whole truth? She wasn't sure about that.

"No smart comebacks?" the assassin said, smiling. She had them. "No little toys? Too bad. I had hoped this would be harder."

Amy drew her legs under herself, preparing herself. One jump, that's all it would take.

One jump and Xander and Faith could get out.

Xander smiled up at the woman standing over him as he pulled Faith tighter to his side. He slowly raised his free arm.

Just as his hand came into sight, a beeping was heard. In his hand was a small box. A red light was flashing in time with the beeping noise.

"Following the bouncing ball," Xander said, pushing the button.

Ball? The three assassins reflexively turned toward the ball - the one that Xander had thrown in before walking into the room.

They had thought it was a joke, a distraction. Something that would have kept them off guard.

Just as they locked eyes on it, the world went white, followed by an earth- shattering bang.

Buffy was standing in the living room of Xander's home and the deputy was handcuffed to a banister of the stairs to the second floor.

"Nice place," Buffy said. And it was. And expensive, if her guess was right. How had Xander afforded this place?

"Yeah," Willow said, also looking around.

On one of the tables were a few photo albums. Flicking open the top album, she saw it was full of pictures of women. All were hanging on or sitting very close to Xander.

"Buffy, look at this."

"Wow," Buffy said, after looking at a few pictures of Xander. "A dark and dreamy looking Xander."

"What?" Willow snapped. Her friend was not dreamy - he was Xander. Even if he did look good in a non-Xander kind of way.

"Well, he is," Buffy insisted, looking at more pictures.

Only to come to a stop. It was a picture of her. Kissing Xander.

Only it wasn't her. She had red hair and Buffy, while she might color her hair, had NEVER tried red.

"Is that you?" Willow asked, looking over her friend's shoulder to see what had stopped the Slayer.

"No," Buffy said, thinking fast, "He's got a Buffy bot."

An ewww thought ran through her head. Bad enough that Spike had one. But Xander too? No, he wouldn't do that. But what else could it be? A shape changer?

"No, he couldn't have," Willow said, looking at the picture. "At least, I don't think so. I mean, how would he? He's just Xander and Xander's don't lust after their friend. Besides, he was over you. He found Anya."

"Breathe, Willow," Buffy said, as her friend babbled on, picking up the picture. She walked away to look through the house. "When we find him, we'll get an explanation and it better be good."

In the master Bedroom.

The duo found the bed a mess. Buffy started looking through the drawers on the dresser, hoping to find out where the wayward Scooby was and what he was doing. She found an ID tag for the local hardware store, where it seems that Xander was working.

While Buffy was on drawer duty, Willow was looking around the bed. She saw a flash of color that was tucked just under the pillow. Grabbing and pulling out the colorful piece of cloth, she saw it was a rolled up piece of silk and elastic. Pulling it open, she saw writing.

She glanced over at Buffy who was still going thought the drawers in the dresser. She had found Xander's underwear and a few playboys and was still looking for more. Willow looked back at the silk. Could it be a message?

She started read it.

Bald pussies need love, too.

Which was followed with a stylized drawing of a cat, which had a bald spot on its head.

Then it clicked: these were Faith's.

She was holding Faith's G-string!

She was holding Faith's used G-string. With an "Eeep!", Willow threw the item away from her.

Only in her haste, she didn't watch where exactly she was throwing them.

Only after they left her hands did she noticed where they were heading.

Towards Buffy.

Buffy turned as she heard Willow "Eeep!", only to be struck in the face by a flying object.

She gasped, getting a nose full a smell that was both familiar and not, at the same time.

"What the Hell? Willow?"

End part.


	10. Chapter 10

Xander was moving even before the explosion from the flash-bang had started. He had slid Faith off him and to one side as he kicked out at Vilashonra's knee, and the blow brought her down with a scream. The other two assassins had heard the cry from the woman, and each grabbed for a weapon while trying to determine where to shoot. 

"Run!" Xander called out to Faith and Amy as he moved. He surged to his feet, sticking his arms straight out from his sides. Moving as fast as he could, Xander clothes-lined both of the men, hitting them so hard that their bodies went horizontal in the air before crashing to the ground.

Faith didn't know what was happening; her ears rang from the bang while the flash had dazzled her eyes. She felt more than heard Xander say something as he pushed her off himself and started to move. She also knew that Amy was across the room somewhere and hoped the girl would run, but she dreaded that the girl was also blinded as well.

A figure bent down over Faith. While her eyes teared and her ears rang, she relied on the only sense she had left - her sense of smell. Although the figure smelled familiar, the barn was drowning her in its smells and she couldn't really make out who it was, so she reacted, and stuck out. The blow was a good one, catching the figure that bent over her and sending it flying.

Just as her fist made contact with the figure, a voice broke through the ringing in her ears.

A voice that was soothing, calming.

Xander's voice.

Blinking her eyes, she could just make out the form of her best friend where he lay on the floor.

"Oops," Faith said, looking around as the three assassins started to move again.

Buffy was still perturbed.

Maybe she was even miffed with Willow.

Willow was apologetic. She hadn't meant to hit Buffy in the face. She hadn't meant to hit her at all. She just wanted to get the offending piece of silk away from her.

"I am sooo sorry, Buffy." Willow said again.

"I am not talking to you," Buffy replied looking away from the red headed witch.

"But -" Willow started. "I didn't -"

"Mean it," Buffy completed for her.

Buffy looked at her friend. She would make Willow suffer for a while, then forgive her. What else could she do?

The duo searched the house, but neither found a thing.

Oh, they found little things like pictures and notes. And, of course, bills.

But nothing about where Xander was or when he would be getting home.

Willow checked on the officer once in a while. The last time she checked on him, Willow found that the officer was trying to get away, so she cast a sleep spell on him, to keep him for getting into any trouble.

In the meantime, Buffy had noticed in one of the pictures of the backyard there was a workshop out there, and after deciding that they wouldn't find anything in the house, it would be the next place to look.

The shop was small. It sat in the yard along the back fence, a limb from an oak tree in a neighboring yard hanging over the roof. Buffy moved into the shop slowly.

Inside was not what she expected; as she had walked to the shop, she had thought it would be a jumble of yard tools and boxes, but instead, it was neat and orderly, although there were a lot of open boxes and even a section of wall that had been pulled out.

Walking into the room, she could smell something in the air - a taint. It was a odor she had smelled a lot of the years, one it had taken her a year to find a perfume to cover.

It was the smell of oil, the oil that you used to protect metal. It was a one-of-a-kind smell. Giles had made it special for his weapons, mixing a little of this and a little of that, to help with the Slaying as well as preserve the metal.

The oil gave off a distinctive smell, which meant that Xander has kept bladed weapons in here. And from the smell a lot of them.

Looking through the boxes, she could mentally make out what kind of weapons they were. Just a few didn't fit any weapon she knew. And one had the distinctive smell of gun power.

"He's got guns?" Buffy whispered to herself as she moved onto the next box, opening it while thinking about her friend.

Now Buffy had seen a lot in her life, but things still surprised her from time to time, and when that happened, she still reacted the same way. She screamed.

Willow was there before she stopped screaming.

"What?" she asked her friend.

"Hand," Buffy said, pointing at the box.

Willow looked into the box, and jerked back.

"That's not Xander's," Willow said with a shake of her head.

"You sure?" Buffy asked

"What?" Willow asked looking at her friend. This could be Xander's. She wouldn't let it be.

"Well," Buffy began, "Faith is here... "

"Buffy," Willow said despairingly. While Willow never really got along with the Boston girl, she did believe that Faith was on the right side of the line.

Even if she was a skanky Ho.

Then Willow giggled.

"You screamed."

"Did not," Buffy replied as fast as she could, her eyebrows heading towards her hairline. "Slayer here. We don't scream"  
"No," Willow still snickering, "you didn't scream like a little girl."

"Anyway, so what if I did scream," Buffy semi-admitted. "If you had opened a box and seen a hand in it, like some Xander's thing, you would've, too."

"You've seen Xander's thing?" Willow asked, wide-eyed. She knew Buffy hadn't but when her friend leaves an opening like that, who could pass it up?

"No! I've never," Buffy said. "It's like that movie. You know, the one with the thing in the box."

"Uh-huh," Willow said smiling. "You watch movies with things in them. Well, whatever it takes to get through the dry spells."

"Willow!" Buffy yelled indignantly. "I don't watch those kinds of movies."

"Sure," Willow said, looking at the box again and opening it. It was a real hand. Human. A crumpled piece of paper lay beside it.

Reaching in and pulling it out, she could feel a ring wrapped in the paper.

The world had changed. Amy was sure of it.

There were colors, and smells that she had never experienced before. She felt light, her muscles more powerful.

She saw Xander laying on the ground, with Faith bent over him, picking him up. The three strangers who had hurt her, hurt her father, were getting up.

A growl grew in her chest. Her pack was being hurt. She had to do something.

Faith was bent over Xander. Her hearing was starting to come back, but her eyes were still blurry. She felt Xander's chest, trying to pull him up. She hadn't knocked him out, but he wasn't fully conscious.

"Oh, Sorry Xan," she was saying more to herself, than to the man before her.

And because of her worry over the fallen man, she didn't notice one of the assassins getting to his feet.

The Shadow mage had been dazed by the flash, but he was still able to call upon his magic.

When Xander had struck him, the Mage had been just starting to phase into the shadow world, but because of the flash, he could not continue the whole way - just enough that the blow delivered to the man was only enough to knock him down, but not out.

And now he was back and was standing behind the slayer.

He would normally play with the women that he took, but this one would be too dangerous. Best to take her out and be done with it; it has been the failings of many a man not to treat a woman as the dangerous creatures that they were.

Pulling in his magic, he caused it to coalesce in his hand, darkness forming on the outline, then filling in the spaces in his hands, until a dagger had formed.

A snarl formed on his face as he drew back, aiming for the slayer's back just over her heart and he could almost feel the woman's heart's blood covering his hands.

Then, suddenly, he was flying sideways, crashing into the wall.

A snarl, almost animal-like, was coming from whatever had stuck him. Pulling himself around to face whatever had hit him, he saw that it was the girl, her eyes flashing with a green light.

"Primal!"

The girl was a primal? How?

There was no spell cast here that could cause that. He had looked the place over earlier for any spells, and found none. He knew this kind of spell would require at least an animal for the spell to pull its sprit out of, and the farm had no such animal. At least not a predator, which was what the girl was.

Drawing his magic around him, the mage prepared to end this. He wanted to make the traitor suffer, but with this much firepower on the other side, he knew his brothers wouldn't last long. Not in a straight-out fight, at least. The Mage knew that Xander was experienced in that much. It was his way. In every job they had run together, he was the one to walk in the front door, while the others went in the back.

Xander slowly regained his senses.

Faith had hit him. That slowly sank into his brain while he started to move. Luckily, nothing was broken.

Then he felt it.

Wild. Free. Energy like he felt in Sunnyvale, while he was with his pack.

Looking around, he saw that Faith was near him and she was watching, stunned as he was at Amy, growling and jumping at one of the Assassins.

But while Faith was stunned because of the unexpected actions of the girl, Xander was stunned because he could feel that little piece of the Hyena.

The Hyena felt as though it was screaming, MINE/CUB/PACK! It was a tumble of emotions and feelings.

As Xander pulled himself up it, it hit him. Amy was his daughter.

Xander had not been alone in his body for a long time. His actions were his, but he always had that tagalong with him. Amy wasn't just his daughter.

Hell, she wasn't just Misty's and Joe's, either.

She was also the Hyena's.  
"How much farther?" Buffy asked from the back seat of the police cruiser.

She had taken the back seat while Willow and Officer Mac-prisoner sat in the front. He was driving while Willow was watching the street signs at least, where she could find them.

This town put them everywhere! She had seen signs on trees at the edges of the roads, some were painted on the streets, and then others were hanging from stop lights.

Really how did anyone find anything here?

"Where are we going?" the cop asked quietly. This night was beyond anything he could have imagined happing.

It all started with rousting the outsiders - get them scared and let them go.

And it had turned into the twilight zone.

"Note said the Johnson farm," Willow said absently, looking once again at the yard decorations.

This one had a white deer with Christmas lights in the antlers and a few beer cans hanging from its tail.

"You people are strange," she muttered at the cop.

The Mage lashed out with his magic. Amy just reacted, jumping to the side as the wave of energy shot past her to where it hit a rack of tools. The tools started to warp and bend until they snapped and fell to the floor in splinters of wood and metal.

Xander growled, and started to move as Faith started to move as well.

But neither got to Amy.

Vilashonra kicked out, catching the dark Slayer as she moved to help the young woman, while Michael was suddenly there on Xander.

Three fights, the different Styles.

Faith moved with all the speed of her Slayer's powers, and with each blow a counter was sent back to her by the woman assassin, though neither woman gained the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Amy and the Shadow Mage were going at it. The Mage would throw a spell at the young woman and she would dodge, and every now and then, she would take the opportunity to throw something back at the mage, some tool, pieces of wood, even an ax head, keeping the mage from getting a killing spell going.

While the Mage had been used to using killing spells, and had used them any number of times, he was also used to having a group to fall back on and cover him while he had cast the spells.

Last was Xander and Michael, and this battle was particularly brutal. Neither one tried to dodge at all, and each blow found its mark. While Faith and Vilashonra fought with graceful moves of the mix of styles that Slayers used to fight, and Amy and the Wizard didn't use any, just power and strength, Xander and Michael used their own variation of Kick boxing. The thuds of the impacts could be heard from across the barn, and with each blow, the girls flinched a little, knowing that their Xander was getting hurt, and they could do nothing but keep the fight going.

Amy, seeing a chance to take the wizard, moved. She jumped at a rope hanging from the roof of the barn and swung across the gap between them. In her head, she could hear advice on what to do, how to take the wizard out, how to hurt him, how to make him suffer. It would be justice to do that. After all, he hurt her, and he hurt her dad.

Landing next to the man, she punched at him. Only to miss, the cloak he wore making her misjudge the distance and she missed him by inches. But it was enough to startle the wizard into to a miscast, the spell shooting across the room, impacting on the wall and sending chunks of wood flying out into the Mississippi night.

The Wizard barely had time react after his miscast. This girl, this bitch, was making him look like a fool. He was a magus of the first order, an assassin who had killed any number of men, women and children. He never missed. And now this little cunt was making him look like some novice. He snarled and prepared a spell that would vaporize the little bitch.

Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance. Amy was there on him, on this creature, this thing, one of the people that brought death to her home. She stuck at him, her hands claw-like.

She felt her fingers hit flesh, then sink in as warm fluids ran across her skin. Then, with a twist of her hand, the flesh came free.

Then the world came to a stop.

Amy stood there as the man's body slow fell to the floor, wet gurgling noises came from where his throat used to be. Amy let the soggy lump of flesh drop from her hands.

Across from her, Faith and Vilashonra were going at it, both moving smoothly from one form to the next. Faith had never fought like this before. It was as if the Assassin knew her moves before she did and countered them just as easily. They drew back, breathing deeply. While Faith hadn't landed any blows that would end the fight, she didn't land just a few, and the same could be said for the assassin.

"Fess up," Faith said, "you're a Slayer."

"No," Vilashonra said, "I am not a freak."

"Hey," Faith snapped, "no freaks here, but you!"

"That's not the word on the streets," Vilashonra said as the Slayer and the assassin circled each other, each looking for a weakness to use. "Your leader likes to fuck anything that is evil, and you just plain like to fuck anything. Even took on a whole bar one time."

"Bitch, you just bought yourself a whole world of pain," Faith snarled.

Faith knew about those rumors, and each a grain of truth in them. B did like to mac with bad guys, she just usually didn't know they were 'til it was too late.

And the bar incident - she had tried for years to forget that. She had been twelve and alone, thinking that she could handle herself. She had always looked older than her years, and at the time she looked like a sixteen-year-old trying to pass for eighteen. She didn't pay attention to her drink, but someone dropped something in it. The next thing she knew, it was the next morning and she was hurting. And people were talking about the train she pulled in the back, and wanting to be the next one on board.

"Not as much as yours," the assassin smirked. "When I kill you, then I will kill the little one, after she has enjoyed Michael tender touch, and then I will take my man back. I might even keep a little part of him as keepsake. His ear? Maybe a finger? No, his dick. I'll nail it to a wall with his balls, a reminder to anyone that fucks with me."

The assassin's eyes looked around the room. As she took her eyes off Faith, Faith moved, only to be countered again. But she also noticed something - a thing cord around the assassin neck. It had bits of bone, and teeth wrapped into it. She had seen them before.  
A fetish.

She had been called out to help with a Russian drug lord who had what seemed to be Slayers working for him. But it turned out he was actually a necromancer.

The fetish was made from the hair, bones and teeth of a Slayer, then soaked in her blood. It gave the wearer the powers of a Slayer, but had to be soaked in their blood every couple months.

That was the weakness - something she could use. If Faith could get to it, she would win and break the stalemate of the fight.

She cut loose with a side kick, followed it with punch into the assassin's chest. While both were blocked, it drove the assassin back. She then tried a spin kick, only to miss as the assassin dove to the ground and did a swiping kick at Faith's ankles, knocking her to the ground, almost falling onto Xander's Zulu Spear.

Before Faith could move, Vilashonra was there, holding the spear, its point at her chest. She could feel it as it cut into her chest. Then both heard the sickening ripping noise from across the room, and Amy's scream of rage as she moved to help Faith.

Amy moved across the barn almost faster than the eye could follow, knowing she had to save Faith. But as she got closer, the assassin moved.

Amy came to stop as the blade touched her neck. She could feel the sharp blade scratching her skin, and looking down, she saw that Faith was in the same situation. As she started to pull back, the assassin pushed harder on Faith causing the downed Slayer to suck in a breath.

"You move," the assassin said, "the slut dies."

Across from them, the fight between Xander and Michael wasn't going as smoothly. Blood flowed from cuts on both of their bodies. The styles that both used were brutal, with little in the way of defense, the only objective to beat your opponent down. Xander knew other forms, but he was not a master of them. This type of fighting he knew. And he knew Michael would fight with the same style. They had sparred enough when working together, and knew that each other were weapons men, not fist fighters.

Xander was pulling back to take a breather when Michael made his first and last mistake in the fight.

"You know I'm going to take my time with the girl," Michael said a smirk on his face. He was just trying to get Xander mad, mad enough to make a mistake.

But as he said that, he suddenly realized that it was the one thing that he shouldn't have said. Xander's eyes went flat, and a tinge of green flashed through them.

Then, before Michael could move, Xander was on him, smashing into him, not caring that the return blows were getting through. The pain from those blows just added to the rage in him formed from the thought that someone would hurt one of his girls.

His daughter. He had thought of her that way for a while, in sprit at least, and then he found out, it was in the flesh as well.

Then it was over. Xander had grasped the man around the throat and closed his hands, putting more and more pressure on the man's throat 'til he felt the cartilage give with little pops.

He stared into the assassin's eyes 'til there was no life left in them, then let the body drop to the ground.

Turning, he saw what was going on with his girls. Amy was standing with a knife pressed to her neck. One move and he knew Vilashonra would cut, and the other on the ground with his spear to her chest.  
It was a no-win situation.

Buffy and Willow were driving down the road again.

It was the twelfth time that they had gone up and down it. The long country road was at least twelve miles long.

"You sure this is where it's supposed be?" Buffy asked as she smacked her gum, looking the deputy, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, but it's here somewhere."

He had driven this route almost every day for the last three years. And something was wrong. A house was missing. He couldn't tell where but it was gone.  
"It's a masking spell," Willow said. "I can't get a lock on it yet. It's shadow magic - hard to get a hold of unless you have it in front of you. Just drive to the end of the road and we'll do it again. I'll find it."

Just as the patrol car sped up the road, a house slowly formed behind them.

The Masking spell broke as the wizard died.

Xander pulled out his knife, a special one he had specially made for him.

"Villy," he begged, "don't do this. I don't want to hurt you"  
"You see, that's the thing," the assassin said. "I want to hurt you."

"No, you don't," Xander reasoned. "I know you. You won't hurt them for any reason."

"Hurting you would be enough. You left me, left us. I had to fight my way back up to the top again because YOU betrayed us," Vilashonra snarled. "I couldn't kill a little girl for no reason," Xander whispered.

"You did a lot more for no reason. You were on your way to be the best in the brotherhood. You would have taken me to the top. But no! One little at the little red headed bitch and you walked away!"

"Vilashonra, I'm begging you," Xander pleaded. "I don't want to hurt you, you're one of my girls. But I love Faith and Amy's my daughter."

He heard Amy gasp at that.

"Your girl?" Vilashonra said, spittle flew from her mouth as she spoke.

"YOUR GIRL! Would you walk away from one of them and leave her in what you left me? I was sent to hell because of you! They had me and questioned me over and over to find out what you knew, where you went, what you took with you."

Vilashonra pressed the point of the spear into Faith a little harder.

"Now you got you another piece of ass," she snarled, "and a daughter in one go. A little family. And what did you leave me? Nothing but promises of power. Empty promises. Well, if I can't have what I want, then neither can you"  
The assassin tightened her arms and started to push the spear and pull the knife. Then she stopped, as a click was heard and the sound of coiled spring was released.

The ballistic knife in Xander's hand released his blade, the point flying across the room and impacting on the woman, its point hitting her square in the throat, cutting into her with the 1800 lbs of pressure.

On its way into her, it cut the fetish, breaking the magic and all the pains and hurts that the Assassin received in the fight caught up to her at one time.

But the blade didn't stop there. It cut deeper into her flesh, slicing tendons and veins as it went.

Vilashonra drew a deep breath she could feel her life blood seeping out of the wounds. She drew herself up, the pain clearing her mind on what she needed to do to hurt Xander.

Kill his girls.

Faith saw the look coming across the assassin's face. The determination.

And realized knew what she was about to do.

So Faith did the only thing she could think of doing. She pulled her legs up and kicked out at the assassin, hitting her square in the legs, driving her away from Amy and herself.

And the fight was over.

The barn was still.

Xander and his girls stood in silence, looking down at the bodies of the fallen assassins.

"Why?" Xander whispered to no one.

Faith didn't have an answer. She didn't understand the question, and understood it at the same time.

Xander was a simple man. When he loved, he loved forever. He might be hurt and hurt the people he loved, but he still loved them. And this woman he had loved.

But he had killed her to save Amy and herself.

"She made her mind up, Xan," Faith finally said. "She wanted to hurt you more than she wanted to live."

"But why?" Xander asked, his voice sounding like a lost little boy, asking for someone, anyone to tell him how to go home.

"I don't know," Faith replied. "Love? Hate? Who knows? She was twisted."

"Any more than I am?" Xander asked.

"Do you want to kill Janet? Willow? Buffy?" Faith asked looking into Xander's eyes.

"No!" He almost yelled.

"Then no," Faith said, smiling at her man. "You aren't twisted. You will get on with your life, and you will be ok. SHE is the one that brought this on."

There was a gasp. Amy was kneeling over the mage, looking at the bloody mess of his throat. She was holding the hand with blood from where she ripped out the man's neck, holding it up to her nose and sniffing at it.

"Amy?" Xander asked softly, "what's going on?"

"It smells good," Amy whispers back. "Why does it smell so good?"

"Come here." Xander demanded.  
"But I'm hungry," Amy said, looking down at the body.

"AMY!" Xander snapped. He could remember the call when he had first been possessed, with all the new feelings and senses.

Amy moved next to Xander. She was looking around the room, now that the fight was over. She didn't feel right - her skin was on fire, the smells were wonderful, and all the blood...

She could almost taste it.

"I've got to get her away from here," Xander said, pulling the girl toward the door.

Just as he got to the door, he could see a police car pulled up into the yard.

"Damn," Xander whispered and pulled Amy back into the shadows.

His life here was hell as it was now.

Now with this, it would be worse. And with what Amy was going through, it would be impossible.

He had thought to get her to a shaman, or a witch doctor to help her. He wouldn't be able to do that from jail.

He turned to Faith.

"Go home," he told the dark-haired Slayer. "Pack my stuff. I'll let you know where to send it. And if you want to come with it, come. But it's up to you."

"I'll be with the first load," Faith replied looking at the girl. "Get her out of here, stud. I'll catch up."


	11. Chapter 11

Buffy and Willow sat at their room at the Holiday inn. At the door were two very big homeland security agents. The two were part of Riley's team. They had rolled in this morning chasing off the FBI and NSA. Riley's team was part of the supernatural response teams. The teams were called in when any agencies would stumble across any sign of a non-human encounter.

The TV was on, and tuned to the local news. The news was showing how in the following days, after that night, Parkerville had slowly gone insane.

The Town of Parkerville is still in shock after the gristly scene three nights ago. The reporter said as she stood out of the local police station. As you all aware of the mass murders that took the lives of the Johnson Family, and a local Bartender, a local lawyer as well as three unknown people. Also on that night two women attacked this very police station. Using some kind of knock out agent, as well as an hallucinogenic gas. After which they kidnaped one of the officers. The women had since been taken into custody.

Buffy looked at Willow, "Well, at least they didn't use our names."

"Yeah,"Willow agreed." But Giles just about blew out a vein when he found out. It took him over twelve hours to get us out of lock up. Tell me again why we didn't call him to start with?"

"I don't know." Buffy answered looking back at the tv, "because it was Xander?"

"Uh" Willow said as the reporter contused the story.

Also I have just found out that a local teenage girl has gone missing along with a local man. It is unclear at this time wither the two or related. But the teenage girl was the daughter of the murdered bartender, and the missing mans wife has told this reporter that the two were unnaturally close. The two women could hear the glee in woman's voice as she hinted that Xander, their Xander, would do something with a child. I tried to get in contact with Mr. Harris, but found his home empty and a woman leaving as I pulled up. The woman who was later identified as his girlfriend. There was a picture on the screen now of Faith as she stood on a motorcycle, he right hand blurred as she was making a very un-ladylike signal.

"Same old Faith." Willow said.

Both girls knew that Xander was gone, the FBI had tracked him down far as New Orleans where he just faded, along with the girl, Amy. Why no one knew. But everyone on the case didn't think that it was to hurt the girl. More to protect her. It was then that the FBI tripped across information about Xander that shocked both the girls to their cores. Xander had been an Assassin. He had done a number of hits on Africa, and Asia. Along with others throughout the world. Mostly the jobs had been very bad guys from what information they had. But still he had killed people for money.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Buffy looked at her friend, who shrugged. No one was supposed to see them today. While they had gotten off the hook on a lot of what they had done that night. Homeland security still wanted them locked up. So they waited untill someone made up their minds about them. They still didn't know if they would end up in jail. Yet. But neither women thought they would, saving the world got them off on a lot, but this was not done while doing that.

As one agent told them, "just because you have powers didn't put you above the law."

Buffy opened the door, then froze. Willow noticed her friend and looked away from the tv as Xander Wife came on. Telling people all about how Xander had kicked her out. How Xander had thought something was happening that hadn't and that she had beg him to come home.

Then Willow too froze as well. Standing in the door was Faith, a small smile on her face. One that said she didn't want trouble, but wouldn't put up with any that came her way.

"So B." Faith started as the silence started to get to her. "Can I come in?"

"I'm not inviting you in." Buffy said looking at the dark Slayer.

"Hey," Faith said "its daylight, so no vamp here. Plus what vampire would willingly take on you and red here?"

"That's not the reason I am not inviting you in." With that the Blonde turned and walked away from her. Letting the door close.

It only shut a few inches before Faith pushed it all the way open and walked into the room. She thought back to the bible stories she had heard as a child. And now knew what David must have felt walking into the Lions' den.

"He's gone." Faith said looking at both women.

"I can see the news." Buffy said her arm pointing at the tv. Were another picture of Faith was on the screen. "You just get off on fucking him over huh?"

"Wait a Damn minute."Faith started.

"No you wait." Willow yelled, "First you use him to scratch an inch and throw him out the door, then he comes to you, to help you and you almost kill him. The next time you see him what do you do nothing. No I am sorry, nothing. He's not worth your time. You hook up with Wood. Only to find out being with someone takes work. And you boot him to the curb. Then you hunt up Xander again. Only he's married now, and you think wow. This is fun. SO you get him to scratch your itch again. Only this time it breaks up his marriage. You know Faith it that, thing of your itches so much," Willow waved at Faiths crotch, "then you need to see a doctor, you might have something."

"Easy red," Faith snarled, "I came here under a flag of truce. For him. You keep it up. You can find him on your own."

"We found him once," Buffy snapped.

"No," Faith said, "He made a mistake, and he won't make it again, where he has gone you will never find him."

"And where is that?" Willow asked.

"Home." Faith with a smirk. "The only place he has felt that way in a while. Where people know him and watch out for him. Hell, I think even the Slayers there would look the other way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked all the Slayers reported to her, or Giles.

"Xander was going to meet you guys. He wasn't going to run. But some things came up and needed to leave. That's why I am here. He doesn't know that I'm here. But guys he needs friends. He needed his family again. And you are it. Besides I didn't break up his marriage!", Faith said looking any where but at the two, "They were history. He caught her in bed with his best friend. He didn't take it well. I got here just after it happened."

"That bitch." Willow said, as Buffy growled, that woman had hurt Xander, then she had attacked them.

"You got it." Faith said, "I've...I've... kind of fallen from him. He loves me too."

"What?" Buffy asked, She could have heard what she thought she had heard. Faith, the bad ass saying that she loved someone. As long as she had known the dark Slayer Faith had never loved anyone. She kicked it, with someone, anyone. Maybe even went as far as living it with her man, as she would call them. But never said she loved someone.

"You love him?" Buffy asked.

"Yes," Faith said with a stupid little smile on her face, "I love the one-eyed dork."

At the same time.

Xander rocked in his seat as the cargo plane bucked again. Across from him, Amy slept on. She hardly moved at all. The sleep of the just, as his grandfather said one time, or at least of the innocent.

He had knocked on every door he could find in New Orleans, looking for a shaman, or witch doctor. Hell he even visited a few Voodoo queens and some straight out witches. But they all said that they couldn't do anything for Amy.

If she had been taken by the sprit it would be one thing. But she had let it in. And from what one witches had said. Amy had always had a little part of it in her. Something about him being the father, and it was passed on to his children. And if Amy had children it was more than likely would be passed on to them as well.

The only redeeming thing about this...curse. Would be they get to choose, it would always be there, but it would be their choice to let it out.

They had left Faith behind in Mississippi. He knew she would do as he had asked her to do about his home. And he hoped she didn't run into any trouble. Between the cops and Buffy it was going to be tight for her. He had called her before the plane had taken off, to let her know where he was going. So she could send his stuff. It would be safe there. He knew it. The people would protect Amy.

Kelly would love to see her. He recalled the blonde, Aid Worker. Kelly worked with the poor in South Africa, trying to improve the life. She was a teacher at a school there, but on that day so long ago, She became something else. A Slayer. She was the first one he found in Africa.

She loved helping kids, helping other Slayers. Also Kelly lived close enough to Buckshot bay. A small fishing village off the horn of Africa. It had also been Xanders home away from home for years. He would always come back to the bay. The people watched out for each other, and Xander had worked his way into the fabric of it. Thou he had not been there in years, he still had kept up his home there. He had planned on bringing Janet there...one day. But that day had never came.

The place was wild enough that Amy could let that part out with hurting anyone, but close enough to the cities that she wouldn't be cut off from the world. The people knew about the darkness that ran in him, and they had excepted him. The village had a shaman. Who had helped him with the sprit within Xander. He could and would help Amy no matter what the cost.

One month later.

Faith stood outside the tent. She knew they were close to where Xander was. Behind her she could hear the other women sleeping. Willow and Buffy had came with her, after a stop in Washington to settle what had really happened that night, and to sign some paper work saying that they wouldn't tell anyone, that side trip ended up taking a month. The government at work. Have you hurry while they wait.

Off in the distance she could hear waves breaking, the smell of the sea on the breeze. Tomorrow she would be seeing Xander again. With that though she finally crawled back into the tent with the others and soon was asleep.

As the women pulled into the small village, they could hear laughter over the sounds of the village. Buffy got out and stretched. While Willow walked up to a woman working on a fishing net. Faith just sat in the Range-rover watching the village, a feeling of peace washing over her. She could put her finger on in. Something was wrong here. Well, not wrong. Just out of place. Everywhere else she had been in her life had a feeling that was missing here, what she didn't know but something. She turned to say something to the others only to find they had left her. After another fast look around she saw them heading toward the beach, Faith hurried to catch up with the slayer and the witch as they topped a hill looking down at the ocean.

Children were everywhere, running and playing. The trio had passed a school house back in the village, and wondered were the children were and here was the anser.

In the middle of the kids, was Amy. Jumping into the water. A group of kids following her.

And then there was Xander. He was rolling on the ground, with a blond woman. Both were screaming at each other. But not in anger. It was a tickle fight. Xander in swimming trunks, the woman in a black string bikini.

Faith knew who it was, a slayer. She remembered her picture from Xanders home. Kelly Jorgneson, a woman he had slept with. Now he was rolling around with her.

Had he forgotten her so soon? Was she just a plaything for him?

The wind changed directions. It had been blowing in-land over the women and back away from the sea. But with the change it now was blowing over the girls and out to sea, over the people playing in the water.

The trio noticed the change at once. Amy came to a stop, sniffing the air looking around. Xander came to a complete stop turning and looking up wind. Til his eyes came to rest on the women.

His eye flash green then was gone. Faith felt more that saw the other reaction to that. She knew Buffy was already planing what weapon to use, and Willow was preparing a spell to "rescue" Xander. She knew it had to stop now. If there was a chance for them to come back together, it was now, and one miss step it would be all over. So she knew that she would have to make the first move.

"Hey, Stud!" Faith called out as she walked out on the beach, she was secretly please that the blonde jumped away from Xander. She was also pleased that the blonde was a little on the flat chested side, not a full figured woman as Faith herself was. As Faith walked toward Xander she walked with an extra swing in her walk that made sure everyone knew that she was all woman. And that she was hunting for her man.

Xander felt a lump in his throat as he saw the girls, his girls, on the hill top. His two oldest... friends. And one that he had started to love. They were all three here. He looked over at Amy. She was still sniffing at the air, she could smell Faith, but had not locked on-to her yet.

His pup had some much to learn. Xander frowned as the thought ran across his mind, the Hyena was getting uppity lately, especially when dealing with Amy.

Faith slowed at the frown, then picked up her pace. But this wasn't about his feelings for her, it was to help him get his family back.

Amy finally placed the scent in the air. "Faith!", She called out just as Faith called down to Xander. Amy took off. Charging up at Faith. Hitting her knocking both from their feet, with smiles and laughter.

"Brat," Faith finally said as she was spitting out sand and puling herself up from the beach."Could you just waved."

"Nope," Amy said with a smile, she was happy, and it showed, the dark times were gone. Xander had explained to the girl about what she was and who he was to her. Her Father, biological, Joe was her Dad. And he wanted a chance to be there for her, Not to take the place of Joe, but to be a friend, and maybe more. It had been hard for her in the beginning, but lately it had gotten easier, she still had her moments of rage, but they were becoming fewer and farther between them. After bringing her here to this village, he had shown her a new world. While it had its terrors, one that she couldn't imagine just a few short weeks ago, it also had its wonders that she couldn't fathom.

Mama Boka' was helping her learn control, so the beast didn't control her. Also would give her peace when she needed it. And would watch over her at night when the dreams had gotten to strong for her. And she could always feel Xander there as well always watching, protecting her.

And Kelly, she was a Slayer. A girl with powers. Just like her. They talked all the time. About school work, boys, clothes, boys, weapons, Boys. She was a big sisters that she always wanted. She knew that Xander and Kelly were close, she had seen them more than once sitting just a little to close just to be just friends. But she knew nothing had happened between them. At least as long as Faith was in the picture. And now she was here. Along with two others that she didn't know. But a look at Xander she knew he knew them.

Xander stood still as Faith closed in. From were he stood he could see the others over Faith shoulders, they also were walking toward him, but he could tell from their stances, that they were only a hair's breath from full on attack mode.

"Ladies!" Xander called out, a smile plastered on his face. While he was glad they came, he knew that it wasn't going to be easy. There were going to be all kinds of bumps to get over before any true friendships would come back between them.

"Xander." Willow said he voice calm and cool, her hair was moving, but it wasn't from the wind on the beach. The tingle of magic was in the air around them.

"So, girls." Xander began smiling at the women, "what brings you here?"

"To help you." Buffy said looking around at all the faces watching them. All of the children were smiling. The adults were looking on warily. But no one was hostile.

"Sorry, don't need any help." Xander replied, with a smile.

"Yes," Willow said firmly, "You do. Xan, you still have the hyena in you. You been killing people. Xander, you are not like that."

"Willow," Xander firmly, "you don't know what the hell your talking about."

"Xander, you're not a killer! You are a sweet guy, you talk to people. You don't kill them."

"Willow," Xander looking at the witch, as Amy moved to stand beside him, "I am who I am. And I have changed a lot in the times that we have been separated. I have been a beggar, a thief, a drug runner, and an Assassin. I have killed, maimed and destroyed. You don't know me. Not like you used to. But if you willing to, both of you, we can start over. Other-wise you need to leave."

Faith watching the whole, conversation. It hit her that he just told Buffy and Willow to leave if they couldn't deal with him. That thought stunned her, she had thought as soon as the Scoobie got back together it would be saddle up, the Scoobies ride again. She had thought that she knew them. And that they would fall back into the old routines. That thought stopped her from hearing the next part of the conversation.

She got the gist of it, that they wouldn't try anything on Xander, yet. And that he would talk to them. He had also introduced Amy to them. The young girl was charming them, but Faith could see in her eyes, a weariness, and this was taxing on her. But these people were important to Xander so they were important to her. But she wouldn't let them hurt him, not in the way she let her father get hurt, and then killed.

"Xander," Willow started again, "You're possessed!"

"Well,"Xander said with a pained look,"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing, Mister." Willow snapped.

"Willow!" Xander snapped, just as Amy started to growl. "You are not God! Just because you want something doesn't make it right! I have had the hyena in me for a long time. Hell, It's been in me just about as long as I know Buffy. As a matter of fact, me and the sprit have came to an understanding a long time ago. It doesn't hunt mortals. I let it out every now and then to hunt other things. Didn't you ever wonder why I was never hurt seriously in any fights I was in Sunny-dale? Hell, I was hit by that Troll Hammer, one that hurt Glory, and I walked away!"

"Then what about her?" Buffy asked looking at the glowering Amy. "I am sure that she didn't have a choice in this."

"Yes," Amy snapped, "I did! I could have been killed, Faith or Xander could have been killed, I let it in. I wont let anyone hurt my family." Amy's face becoming more and more angry looking the two women.

"That right?" Buffy said almost scornfully.

"Yes!" Amy replied her eyes flashing. "I chose this."

Faith put her hand on Amy's shoulder and pulled her away.

"Come on squirt," Faith said calmly, "Show me around. Lets leave them here to talk things out."

With that Faith almost drug Amy off, the teen resisted a few seconds then went with the Dark haired woman. Soon was she was laughing and pointing out where Xander and she lived.

As soon as the two were gone. The conversation got more heated.

"You did that to a little girl?" Buffy snapped,

"Yes, in a way." Xander said looking at the slayer, "she's my daughter. And because of that she had a choice. She chose this. And I am helping her."

"I can't believe you did that to someone!" Buffy snapped back at Xander.

"Just like you and Willow," Xander snapped back, "what choice did you give those girls about being Slayers?"

"That's different." Willow said, "we didn't have a choice in that."

"No," Xander replied looking at the witch, "we had a choice. Die or get more slayers. But did you thing about calling in help? No. We had a choice that day. In this I didn't have a choice, it was Amy's choice, I stand by her. And will help her."

"We could get the sprit out of her." Willow said.

"Like you got it out of me?" Xander asked.

"I didn't have the power then that I do now." Willow said the confidence in her eyes that she could do this.

"No." Xander said, "this is who I am now, it's who she is now. I have been this way for a long time, and I am going to go on like this for a long time yet."

Faith stood on the small hut. All around her were boxes that she had sent xander. In the corner were two cots.

"I know its kind of basic." Amy was saying smiling

"Yet," Faith told the girl. "It's home?"

"Yes," Amy said. Her smile bigger with the knowledge that Faith understood.

Just then Kelly walked in.

"Hello," Kelly said a smile of friendship. She didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with the dark slayer, she knew that the woman meant a lot to Xander and Amy, both very import to her the time that she knew them.

"Hey," Faith replied, as she eyed the Slayer. Blonde, go figure, Xander always ending up with a blonde around him somewhere.

"Their finishing up," Kelly said, "So far no weapons have been drawn."

"Yea," Faith replied, "Hope, we can keep it that way."

Amy looked at the women, she knew something was on Faiths mind, what she didn't know.

After they had rejoined the others setting at a table looking out over the sea. Out in the wind fishing boats could be seen. Smells coming from the village were a sign that cooking fires were getting ready. Off in the distance , Mama Boka' could be seen mending a net while watching the group. Faith noticed that the old woman didn't cast a shadow, but the ones around Xander and the others were a lot darker than it should have been.

Amy was almost bouncing beside Faith, asking questions about why it took her so long to get here, what had happened to her while Faith stayed behind, how her friends were doing back home. But Faith really wasn't into talking so her answers were short, almost abrupt. Amy took one look at the woman, and saw the looks that she was giving Xander and smiled. Amy hoped one day that she would have someone to look at her that way, and hoped she felt the same way about them.

"Faith." Xander said, looking at her as she walked toward them. And in that word, she knew he still loved her. The other women looked between them, Kelly with longing, Amy with happiness, Willow and Buffy with confusion.

Buffy didn't know how anyone could really love Faith. While she did like the girl, Faith was trouble. And always would be.

And Willow, didn't want her with HER Xander. Xander deserved a lot better. Someone that she could pick out for him.

Xander turned to see the looks from both of his old friend's.

"I love her." he said simply looking at them, his face set, waiting.

"Xander." Willow began, "Its nothing against.."

"Its not your business." Xander snapped, "My life, My choices. You left me. How long was I gone before you even knew I wasn't doing the watcher-y thing? How hard did you really look for me? I can anser both questions."

Both girls looked a little guiltily at each other then at Xander.

"It's not what you think Xan." Buffy began.

"It is what I think. Willow needed her space, she got it. You needed time off, and you got. Hell, even Giles got some time off after Sunny-dale. Me I jumped into the mix. You both got it easy. Willow was hard at work looking for Slayers on every beach in South America, while you busy looking for them in every club and shoe store in Europe. You even left Dawn after you promised her you wouldn't. But you sure had fun with you Boyfriend, Old Morty huh? Did you know he had a contract out on Dawn? Hell he had one out for most of Scoobie. I was even told to go kill Dawn. Not because of you. But Your loving Father owed some big people a lot of money. I couldn't pull the trigger. That's why everything happened in Parkerville. If not for her, I would still be out there killing for the highest bidder. Not some high morals you understand. Just because she was the only one after we left Sunnyd to talk to me. She would right or call me once a week."

The girls looked shocked at the outburst. While Amy and Kelly had heard it before, the two women before him had not.

"So no to changing into your little lap dog again." Xander paused, "Willow you're my sister, I do love you, But you don't own me. I will live my life, you live your. If you, or Buffy can't live with it then I quest our family is not as strong as I thought. I know you hate what I have done. Hell, I hate it sometimes. But I did. I am not asking you to like it, or like me even. But if you want to we can build or friendships again, you will have to get over it. It's your choice. In the end, it's all we have."

"Xander," Buffy began. "You still have that evil thing in you."

"Its not evil Buffy." Xander said as Amy start to jump in again. "Its natural. It's a hunter. In Sunny-d, it was a newborn. It didn't understand the world. It a creature of instincts. And it followed those. The things it did, where just its nature. The Hell mouth didn't help any."

"B," Faith jumped in, "Believe me, if Boytoy here were evil. Would I say with him? I don't get my kicks that way. You know my early life. I had to much of that. He's a good man."

The group broke up and moved off to think things through. Willow and Buffy walked back to the landrover. While Kelly and Amy headed to cooking fires.

Which left Xander and Faith looking at each other.

"So, dark-eyed lady." Xander said smiling at Faith.

"Boytoy." Faith said shortly.

"Am I in trouble?" Xander asked, no matter what he did, he always seem to be in trouble with a woman.

"Kelly?" Faith asked with a raised eyebrow, and her lips drawn tight together.

"Yes." Xander said, "Kelly, she a friend."

"A good friend," Faith said, "with you rolling around in the sand."

"Yes," Xander replied " were good friends."

"You sleep with her?" Faith asked.

"Yes," Xander said, "I have before. We were both drunk, and lonely. Just two friends that needed someone."

"You planning on staying that type of friend?" Faith asked him looking deep into his eyes.

"Nope," Xander said with a snort, "not as long as I have the love of a certain slayer we both know."

"You keep Buffy out of this." Faith said smirking.

"Uhhh," Xander laughed, "low blow. Just so you know. You'd probably have more of a chance with Kelly than I would. Not that she kicks many guys out of her bed, but she likes girls just a bit little more."

"I'll keep that in mind." Faith said her smirk gets evil, "You never know when I might need to spice up the sheets a little."

Buffy and Willow sat in the landrover, the sun was sitting cause the shadows to grow around the vehicle. They could hear Xanders and Faith Laughter coming up from the beach.

"So." Buffy started.

"So" Willow replied.

"Did we really just leave Xander on his own?" Buffy asked as she looked out over the village.

"I don't know." Willow said, "I don't think we did. But he might see it that way from his side. We had so much going on right then."

"But that's bull," Buffy said.

"Maybe, but its how he feels." Willow said, "Right or wrong."

"He's not the same." Buffy said looking once again at her friend. "I don't think he's evil. But he's not happy any more."

Just then Xander laughter could be heard over the wind.

"Well," Buffy amended, "Not the way he was."

"People change." Willow with a sigh. "I know I have. And I know you did. Why couldn't he?"

"But he hurt people."

"Is that enough to walk away from him?" Willow asked, "We both did things. Me I almost ended the world, he was there, and forgave me. We also hurt a lot of girls when we changed them to Slayers. How many did we reach in time to help, and how many died never knowing what had happened to them?"

Willow looked at the blond woman then.

"Buffy," Willow said, "I want him back as a friend. I going to try to make it work with him. He is my brother. If you don't want to try, I can send you home. I won't hold it against you. And I am sure Xander won't either."

Buffy sat back. Crossing her arms and looking out the front wind screen, not really see anything.

Xander, he had been her friend. A real friend when she needed it. He had gone to bat for her and against her. He had been what she needed when she didn't know what she needed.

The laugher from the beach picked up again, this time she could hear Amy's laughter join in and that of Kelly's.

"I think I want my brother back to." Buffy said, "But do we have to have Faith join our family too?"

Willow smiled, "Yes. From what I have seen and heard they are a package deal."

"Shoot." Buffy said snapping her fingers. An smirk on her face, showing that she wasn't all that against the thought of Faith and Xander together.

The two got out of the land rover. And walked toward the beach.

"But if she hurts him..." Willow said they walked on.

At the beach, Xander was watching Faith chase Amy around. Kelly had moved off to let them alone.

The chase was just getting good, when Amy dove into the serf to escape, and Faith follow. That when the chase got really good.

Xander sat back watching. Faith and in a wet t-shirt just go had to hand in hand he thought.

Then Willow and Buffy were sitting beside him. He looked at one than the other.

"So, you got a kid?"Willow asked. But before he could say anything, Buffy followed up with.

"How's that working for ya?" and with that he knew that they at least wanted to try.

"It's good. Too bad she doesn't have some Aunts to help me out with her." Xander said a smile on his lips.

"I think you do." Willow said knocking him with her should, which cause him to bounce into Buffy. Who just pushed back against Xander.

Soon the trio were rolling around on the sand. Laughing and tickling each other. They were so into the fighting that they didn't notice, Faith or Amy walking up on them carrying buckets.

The first time they even knew was when cold sea water fell on them.

"No rolling around with my man," Faith was saying looking down at them, "Unless it's me doing the rolling."

She turned but before she got a full turn, three sets of arms pulled her into the pile of laughing people. Amy took one look, shrugged her shoulders and jumped in.

Xander looked around at the pile of women on him. Family, it all comes down to family. He smiled again at them. He hoped this is the beginning of his Happily every after.

The following months, Parkerville slowly forgot what happened that night. Just a few tales to scare the kids. Forgotten, were the reasons for the deaths. Along with what had proceeded that night.

Janet moved on. She still wanted her Xander. But settled for the money. A large sum was sent to her along with divorce papers for her to sign. The house, and what ever was left in it was hers. With the house and the money. She re-started her life. With a week she had a new boyfriend. Within a month she was married again. Her new husband, was a protective man. He had his friends watch out for her. He worked nights at a factory in the neighboring town, and didn't want her left alone. So he had his friend check up on her.

Janet's new life was going along great. She had money. A new husband to watch out for. One with plenty of guy friends. That was her only problem with Xander. He didn't have that many guy friends. Tim, her new husband had plenty. Only Janet didn't know one was more of a player than she was. And as luck would have it. Tim was sent to Washington state by his company. It was for classes on some new equipment the plant was to bring on line.

Upon returning home. He found something. His loving wife. Who he had loved, who he had helped her thought a bad marriage with that monster, Xander Harris. In his locker at work were pictures. Pictures of his wife, and his friend. Doing things that they shouldn't. Along with the pictures was a DVD. The Video was of an orgy, in his own bed. A note with dates and times.

The note was signed with a picture of a willow tree and the words, Sorry, you could do a lot better.

The devoice that followed that was another highlight of the town. By the end of it, everything came out about Janet. How she cheated on Xander, and her new husband.

Tim became a rich man, all of Janet's money disappeared from her accounts. Only to re-appear in Tim's. The national news picked up the case for some reason, and the story was spread from coast to coast.

Another note was found in Tim's locker. Tell him not to worry about what going to happen.

Tim had no ideal what the note meant til

Janet and six of his friend turned up with VD.

It took Tim three days to stop laughing. And to the end of his days he never knew who helped him or why. Only that they had.

Janet went from living the dream life. One she had always wanted. To a nightmare one.

She lost everything. After the two divorces, and the VD no one wanted her again. Yes there were guys wanting to hook up, with an easy lay. But no one wanted her as anything more.

Her life became a lonely shadow of what it used to be. Wanting for everything, but never having it.

Then she received a note in the mail.

You hurt someone that meant the world to us. Someone that would have stood by you forever. You will never get another chance.

It was signed with a red Willow.

Janet had looked at the note for a long time, and for the life of her couldn't figure out who had liked Tim that much.

The End


End file.
